UK poultry giant Moy Park has launched an ambitious campaign to slash the use of plastics and packaging across its business and the industry.
The company plans to reduce its overall use of packaging by 5% year-on-year, while also increasing the percentage of recyclable packaging by 5%.
The target is one of a set of goals announced by Moy Park as part of its ‘Remove, Reduce, Recycle and Research’ Strategy and is backed by a range of initiatives across the business.
The company will collaborate with academics and supply chain partners to develop sustainable packaging across its product portfolio and will also remove avoidable single-use plastic from its office and restaurants by 2020.
The business will move to 100% widely-recyclable rigid packaging by 2022, with all other packaging to be widely recyclable by 2025.
Explaining the new strategy, Moy Park head of packaging Matt Harris said: “We have purposely set ambitious, industry-leading targets in order to deliver real results that can be felt by our customers and ultimately consumers.
To achieve these targets, we’ll be reducing our reliance on plastics, focusing on innovative new packaging, research and development, and delivering accurate, clear recycling messages.
“We are committed to developing our business sustainability and we are excited to launch this latest campaign as part of our wider environmental commitments.”
OPRL, the On-Pack Recycling Label scheme which aims to deliver a simple, consistent and UK-wide recycling message on retailer and brand packaging, has welcomed the announcement.
OPRL chairman Jane Bevis added: “Reducing materials use and shifting design to deliver more recyclable packaging are essential in reducing our sector’s environmental impact.
“We’re thrilled that Moy Park is taking a lead in this, and in engaging consumers in recycling.”
