Supermarket Sainsbury’s has become the first retailer to recycle its old food crates into more efficient ones made from 100 per cent recycled material.
The crates used by Sainsbury’s have been re-designed to make them more efficient so that they are a standard size that stacks together.
This means that the crates are easier to transport, especially when returning empty crates back to suppliers.
Working with Schoeller Allibert on the recycling programme of old crates, these 100 per cent recycled crates are the first in the UK to meet European Food Safety Authority Standards to transport food safely.
As a result of the programme, 2 million old and inefficient crates were ground down into plastic flakes, which were washed and dried before being used to create the new efficient crate.
Sainsbury’s senior strategy manager for supply chain Simon Stokoe said: “This piece of work was not only about making the right decision for Sainsbury’s from an efficiency perspective – it was also about making sure we did it sustainably. A win win.”
