Shoprite unveils South Africa’s first recyclable 7kg potato bags

SOUTH AFRICA — The Shoprite Group has launched South Africa’s first fully recyclable 7kg potato bag, marking a major milestone in the country’s efforts to reduce packaging waste in the retail sector.

The new packaging aims to replace the traditional potato pockets commonly used across the industry, which consist of two layers—an outer mesh and an inner wet-strength paper layer.

These components, while effective at preserving moisture, are incompatible with domestic recycling infrastructure and have contributed to an estimated 18,600 tonnes of landfill waste annually, according to Shoprite.

The initiative was spearheaded by a team of five Shoprite employees as part of a leadership development programme in partnership with the Gordon Institute of Business Science.

Their goal was to create a packaging solution that was recyclable, reusable, or compostable without compromising quality or increasing costs.

Over a six-month period, the team conducted an extensive analysis of the supply chain and engaged with multiple stakeholders.

However, a key challenge remained: the inner wet-strength layer, required by Potato SA for moisture control, hindered recyclability under South African conditions.

Efforts to identify viable international alternatives and explore consumer return or reuse models ultimately proved impractical for the local market.

A turning point came when Billerud, a global packaging supplier and Shoprite’s long-standing partner, took up the challenge.

The company’s R&D team in Sweden developed a new semi-wet-strength paper formulation designed specifically to meet South Africa’s recycling standards.

After an initial unsuccessful attempt, a revised version passed local recyclability tests without requiring changes to existing packing operations.

The new recyclable potato bags will be introduced across more than 1,400 Shoprite, Checkers, and Usave stores starting this month.

The rollout is expected to raise the percentage of the retailer’s packaging that is recyclable, reusable, or compostable from 88.9% to 90%.

“This innovation addresses a long-standing packaging challenge and brings tangible environmental benefits without adding cost or complexity to the supply chain,” the company said in a statement.

Beyond environmental gains, Shoprite notes that the shift to recyclable packaging opens new economic opportunities in sustainable material sourcing and local manufacturing innovation.

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