Latest news with #Ocado
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Driving reuse will cut waste and ease packaging tax costs, UK study claims
Moving 30% of grocery goods sold in the UK to reusable packaging could cut emissions and EPR costs by more than 90%, new research has claimed. The report by consultancy GoUnpackaged and involving a panel featuring Tesco, Ocado and WRAP said the industry and government should 'commit to a target' for reusable packaging in the UK. The study outlines a roadmap for building reusable packaging systems across the UK grocery retail sector to hit the 30% target by 2035. According to the research, the target could be achieved by switching 18 'priority' categories of products to 'around 30 standardised packaging types'. The study ranked the product areas in order of the highest cost savings: home-cooking products – including sauces, pasta and rice – was top, with the list also featuring alcohol, coffee, detergents, fruit and ready meals. The report estimates hitting the 30% re-use target could cut packaging-related emissions by 95% and lead to an annual saving of £136m on the products under the scope of the UK's extended producer responsibility, or EPR, rules. The saving amounts to a 94% reduction in EPR feeds per item switched to reuse, the study showed. Campaigners argue that reuse systems could generate cost savings for retailers over time, compared with continually sourcing new single-use materials. At present, only 1-2% of consumer packaging in the UK is reusable. The report suggests increasing this proportion to 10% by 2030 and then 30% by 2035. To reach these targets, the researchers propose a combination of adapting regulation, infrastructure investment and incentives. These include standardising reusable packaging formats, introducing mandatory reporting requirements, and providing start-up funding for reuse pilots. The organisations backing the report, which include packaging giant Amcor, logistics business CHEP and WWF, stress voluntary initiatives alone will not deliver the change needed. 'The modelling results show, for the first time, an evidenced view of reuse working at scale in the UK for grocery retail, enabling industry and government to make insightful decisions about how to move forwards to co-create the necessary transition to reuse in the UK,' a statement from the report's advisory panel read. However, the researchers admitted their modelling suggests the re-use push would need investment of £149m a year up to 2035. It suggested three ways to fund the investment: add to EPR fees; a mix of higher EPR fees and a tax on single-use items; a combination of increased EPR charges and government funding. 'Industry needs long-term policy certainty from the government to create a level playing field, allow long-term planning and investment, and create the right incentives to support the transition to reuse,' the report read. Last month, PepsiCo announced changes to its targets on packaging. The US food and drinks giant had been looking to 'deliver 20% of all beverage servings through reusable models by 2030', a target that no longer exists. The company said it will focus on a wider goal for reusable, recyclable, or compostable (RRC) packaging by design. By 2030, PepsiCo is aiming for at least 97% of its packaging to be 'RRC packaging by design … in our primary and secondary packaging in our key packaging markets'. PepsiCo is aiming to cut its use of virgin plastic by 2% year-on-year on average through to 2030. The company's previous target was for a 20% decrease 'derived from non-renewable sources' by the same year. The group's goal for its use of recycled content stands at a reduction of at least 40% 'by 2035 or sooner'. It had been targeting using 50% of recycled content by 2030. In December, The Coca-Cola Company set out revised packaging targets. The group now has two goals on packaging, set for 2035. One is an aim to use 35% to 40% (down from 50%) recycled material in 'primary packaging', which it says is plastic, glass and aluminium. Coca-Cola said it wants to increase its use of recycled plastic from 30% to 35%. The other is to 'ensure the collection of 70% to 75% of the equivalent number of bottles and cans introduced into the market annually'. The new targets do not include an explicit goal for refillable or reusable packaging but Coca-Cola said it will 'continue to invest in refillable packaging where infrastructure already exists'. A spokesperson said: 'We intend to continue to expand the use of refillable packaging in markets where the infrastructure is in place to support this important part of our portfolio and we tailor our refillable packaging approach by market, based on local conditions.' "Driving reuse will cut waste and ease packaging tax costs, UK study claims" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
The Sun
17 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
Our village is at war over 60ft oak tree – I live in darkness & fear it'll crush my home… but I can't chop it down
VILLAGERS at war with a nightmare 60ft tree have lost their latest battle to get it chopped down. Plans to fell the protected oak, which sits just metres from thatched cottages in Kings Newton, South Derbyshire, have been axed. 3 Residents living next to the "frightening" behemoth in Sleepy Lane have fumed that it could crush their homes. They claim it also causes major sewage issues, problems with the road surface and blocks huge amounts of natural light. It was planted 34 years ago after a 109-year-old tree in the same spot was deemed to be in a dangerous condition and felled. DerbyshireLive reported that the sleepy village is divided by the new oak, which sits next to a public footpath leading into the picturesque countryside. Paul Hackney, whose house is dwarfed by the 30-foot-wide tree, saw his proposal to have it cut down rejected earlier this week. Almost 80 rejection letters were submitted at a South Derbyshire District Council meeting. Opposition was led by Melbourne Parish Council. The "nuisance" tree is expected to reach 300 years old, much to the horror of some locals. Mr Hackney told how the shrub had proved to be a hazard to vehicles after it was recently hit by an Ocado delivery van. He said: "Ultimately it is a tree that has outgrown its position. "It would be better for the residents to resolve the issue and be involved in the future planning of a new tree (if required) without the understandable stress and worry of the current situation." But John Jackson, chair of the residents association, argued that the oak was healthy and did not pose a risk. We're trapped in tiny village after travellers BULLDOZED field for caravan camp Councillors understood the frustrations of locals living in its shadow, but defended keeping the "healthy" tree. Cllr Andrew Kirke said: 'I do have some sympathy for the neighbours. "We have many very large trees but we can't just chop them down in case there is a strong wind. 'We have lots of periods of strong wind while it has been there and trees have fallen down but it has stayed up through all of that. "There is no reason to chop down such a healthy specimen.' Cllr Jayne Davies added: 'It is such a glorious tree. "It has a tree preservation order for a reason and the applicant can come back for a crown or lift or another suitable solution.' It comes as a similar 'Jack and the beanstalk' tree continues to frustrate homeowners in Winchester, Hampshire. 3 Locals in Canon Street slammed the "grotesquely irresponsible" and "ludicrous" 45 foot high oak. But now it has branched into an "out of proportion" eyesore which overshadows the gardens of nearby properties - where the average house price is more than £600,000. However, the council have refused to cut it down and placed it under a protection order. The authorities said residents from a neighbouring street "appreciated" the tree. The decision has sparked outrage among locals who are actually dealing with the daily repercussions of such an overwhelming tree. South Derbyshire District Council has been approached for comment.
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Food prices keep rising as consumers shop more for less
"Higher prices didn't stop shoppers making 490 million trips to the supermarket over the latest month, averaging almost 17 per British household," said Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar. "That's the highest we've recorded since March 2020." However, a rise in frequency was balanced out by a drop in average trip spend, which fell back by three pence to £23.89. Sales of own label ranges grew at 4.2%, ahead of branded lines, as shoppers looked to balance their budgets. The proportion of spending on promotional deals stepped up to 28.8% the period. Overall grocery volumes fell slightly by 0.4%, the first annual decline recorded this year. Mr McKevitt said a small part of this fall could be down to changing health priorities such as the growing use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs. 'Supermarkets and grocery brands are entering new territory as weight loss drugs become more popular, with four in 100 households in Great Britain now including at least one GLP-1 user," he said. "That's almost twice as many as last year so while it's still pretty low, it's definitely a trend that the industry should keep an eye on as these drugs have the potential to steer choices at the till. Four in five of the users we surveyed say they plan to eat fewer chocolates and crisps, and nearly three quarters intend to cut back on biscuits.' Fresh fruit sales were one of the biggest winners with consumers purchasing 2,400 packs of strawberries every minute during the four-week period. People also traded up to more exotic fruits with sales of mangoes and blueberries climbing by 27% and 10% each. Ocado was the fastest-growing grocer with sales up 12.2% during the 12 weeks to June 15, driven by more frequent visits to the online store and strong performance within its traditional heartlands of London and southern England. Ocado's market share now sits at 1.9%. Among bricks and mortar grocers, Lidl was the fastest growing at 11.2%, its third consecutive month of double-digit growth. Lidl's portion of the market reached 8.1%, an increase of 0.4 percentage points on this time last year. Fellow discounter Aldi increased its share to 10.9% as sales rose by 6.5%. Spending through the tills at Tesco accelerated to 7% as it recorded the highest share gain over the period of 0.5 percentage points, taking it to 28.1%. Sainsbury's' share also nudged up to 15.2% as sales grew by 5.7%. Morrisons now holds 8.4% of the market, with spending rising by 2.2%. Asda continued to struggle with sales through the tills 1.7% lower than a year earlier, though this was an improvement on recent performance. Its market share stands at 11.9%. Waitrose boosted its sales by 5.5%, the highest since March 2021, meaning it now holds a 4.5% share of the market. Scots tourism reports record year for international visits (Image:) The number of international visitors to Scotland increased again in 2024, as new figures show a record 4.4 million trips were made to the country last year – a 10% rise on 2023.
Leader Live
4 days ago
- Business
- Leader Live
Grocery prices rise again to 4.7% more expensive than a year ago
The figure is up from 4.1% last month, which was a rise from 3.8% in April, according to data from analysts Kantar. Price rises did not stop British consumers from making 490 million trips to the supermarket over the last month, averaging almost 17 per household and the highest recorded by Kantar since March 2020. The increase in visits saw take-home grocery sales over the four weeks to June 15 grow by 4.1% compared with the same period last year. However, the rise in the frequency of visits was balanced out by a drop in average amount spent per trip, which fell by 3p to £23.89. As temperatures rose, consumers bought 2,400 packs of strawberries every minute in the last four weeks. Shoppers also traded up to more exotic fruits too, with sales of mangoes and blueberries climbing by 27% and 10% respectively. Overall grocery volumes fell slightly by 0.4% over the last four weeks, the first year-on-year decline this year, with Kantar suggesting that a small part of this could be due to changing health priorities such as the growing use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, said: 'Supermarkets and grocery brands are entering new territory as weight loss drugs become more popular, with four in 100 households in Great Britain now including at least one GLP-1 user. 'That's almost twice as many as last year, so while it's still pretty low, it's definitely a trend that the industry should keep an eye on as these drugs have the potential to steer choices at the till. 'Four in five of the users we surveyed say they plan to eat fewer chocolates and crisps, and nearly three quarters intend to cut back on biscuits.' Meanwhile, consumer concerns over price are continuing, with sales of own label ranges growing 4.2% this month ahead of branded lines as shoppers looked to balance their budgets. Ocado was the fastest growing grocer with sales up 12.2% in the 12 weeks to June 15 to take a 1.9% share of the market. Lidl was the fastest grower among bricks and mortar grocers at 11.2% – its third consecutive month of double-digit growth to reach 8.1% of the market. Fellow discounter Aldi increased its share to 10.9% as sales rose by 6.5%. Tesco saw the highest share gain over the period, at 0.5 percentage points, taking it to 28.1% of the market. Asda's sales fell by 1.7% on a year ago, leaving it with a market share of 11.9%.
Rhyl Journal
4 days ago
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Grocery prices rise again to 4.7% more expensive than a year ago
The figure is up from 4.1% last month, which was a rise from 3.8% in April, according to data from analysts Kantar. Price rises did not stop British consumers from making 490 million trips to the supermarket over the last month, averaging almost 17 per household and the highest recorded by Kantar since March 2020. The increase in visits saw take-home grocery sales over the four weeks to June 15 grow by 4.1% compared with the same period last year. However, the rise in the frequency of visits was balanced out by a drop in average amount spent per trip, which fell by 3p to £23.89. As temperatures rose, consumers bought 2,400 packs of strawberries every minute in the last four weeks. Shoppers also traded up to more exotic fruits too, with sales of mangoes and blueberries climbing by 27% and 10% respectively. Overall grocery volumes fell slightly by 0.4% over the last four weeks, the first year-on-year decline this year, with Kantar suggesting that a small part of this could be due to changing health priorities such as the growing use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, said: 'Supermarkets and grocery brands are entering new territory as weight loss drugs become more popular, with four in 100 households in Great Britain now including at least one GLP-1 user. 'That's almost twice as many as last year, so while it's still pretty low, it's definitely a trend that the industry should keep an eye on as these drugs have the potential to steer choices at the till. 'Four in five of the users we surveyed say they plan to eat fewer chocolates and crisps, and nearly three quarters intend to cut back on biscuits.' Meanwhile, consumer concerns over price are continuing, with sales of own label ranges growing 4.2% this month ahead of branded lines as shoppers looked to balance their budgets. Ocado was the fastest growing grocer with sales up 12.2% in the 12 weeks to June 15 to take a 1.9% share of the market. Lidl was the fastest grower among bricks and mortar grocers at 11.2% – its third consecutive month of double-digit growth to reach 8.1% of the market. Fellow discounter Aldi increased its share to 10.9% as sales rose by 6.5%. Tesco saw the highest share gain over the period, at 0.5 percentage points, taking it to 28.1% of the market. Asda's sales fell by 1.7% on a year ago, leaving it with a market share of 11.9%.
