Waitrose & Partners is introducing an innovative home compostable bag for its Waitrose Duchy Organic bananas, the first of the retailer’s fresh produce to be sold in a home compostable bag.
The move to the bag, made with non-GM corn, will save an estimated 18 tonnes of plastic per year. The bag can be home composted or reused first as a food caddy liner at home before being home composted.
Marion Gorrod, branch manager at Waitrose & Partners St Saviour, said: “This is another exciting step towards our pledge to make all packaging either widely recyclable, reusable or home compostable by 2023.”
Waitrose & Partners removed plastic bags for its Duchy Organic bananas last year, replacing them with a plastic band while trials took place on the compostable bag. The bag not only protects and maintains the quality of the bananas it also removes the need for plastic banana box liners. Waitrose & Partners, like many retailers, packages its organic bananas so shoppers can see clearly which bananas are organic and to prevent mix ups.
Waitrose & Partners is also currently trialling a home compostable fruit and vegetable bag for loose produce, which it plans to roll out to all branches in spring this year.
