Asda, a major UK supermarket now partly owned by Walmart Stores, has introduced a series of sustainability initiatives. Asda is especially vulnerable, as it was ranked 9th among 10 supermarket chains in terms of sustainability. The test includes refill stations for House Brand rice, pasta, cereals and items. The initiative has received the support of customers in a Middleton location near Leeds in the north of England. CEO of Asda, Roger Burnley, stated “We will be testing and learning from the customers in Middleton to understand how we can reduce our environmental impact.” He added, “Our first priority will be to look at how we can reduce and remove plastic.”
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, other chains have introduced sustainability programs. Morrisons has pledged to have 100 percent recyclable, reusable, or compostibile packaging by 2025. Tesco is removing PVC from the packaging of their Own Brands and Sainsbury will use a recyclable material to displace plastic film for fruits and vegetables. Aldi is eliminating plastic wrapping on vegetables and is evaluating alternative materials, including cardboard for meat.
It is evident that supermarket chains have greater latitude to make changes in packaging for their house brands. It is possible that apart from reducing costs, consumer goodwill may be generated by offering recyclable and sustainable packaging on their own branded products, resulting in a move by food manufacturers to follow the trend.