Tesco advances toward fully recyclable packaging by 2026

UK – Britain’s largest supermarket, Tesco, is on track to make all its own-brand packaging fully recyclable by December 2025, while ensuring all paper and board materials are sustainably sourced. 

The ambitious goal is part of Tesco’s long-standing “4Rs” strategy, which involves removing, reducing, reusing, and recycling, launched in 2019 to overhaul its packaging practices.

Since the strategy’s inception, Tesco has eliminated over 2.5 billion pieces of plastic from its own-brand products. 

In November 2024, the company transitioned its Finest dried pasta range to recyclable paper packaging, cutting more than 10 million plastic pieces annually. 

Other efforts include reducing plastic in cheese packaging, juice cartons, and frozen food bags, saving hundreds of tonnes of material each year. 

Tesco’s reusable packaging trials, such as its partnership with Loop in select stores, highlight its commitment to exploring innovative reuse systems.

Currently, 96%  of Tesco’s own-brand packaging is recyclable, though regional kerbside collection limitations pose challenges. 

To bridge this gap, Tesco has installed soft-plastic collection points in its larger UK stores, collecting over 2,000 tonnes of materials like bread bags and crisp packets. 

According to Tesco’s Head of Packaging, James Bull, some of this plastic has been transformed into products such as school planters.  

“We’re focused on ensuring every piece of packaging can be recycled, supporting a closed-loop system.”

Recent updates from August 2025 indicate Tesco has expanded its sustainable packaging efforts. 

The supermarket introduced recyclable pillow packs for fresh mince in Ireland, reducing plastic use by nearly 70% compared to traditional trays, following a successful trial.

This move is expected to save thousands of tonnes of plastic annually if rolled out further.

Tesco emphasizes the need for industry-wide collaboration and consistent UK recycling regulations, such as a deposit return scheme, to meet its 2025 targets. 

The company requires suppliers to adopt sustainable packaging formats, phasing out non-recyclable materials like black plastic in favor of sortable colors like green and brown.

In parallel, Tesco aims to halve food waste by December 2025, redistributing 85%  of unsold, safe-to-eat food to charities like FareShare. 

With packaging accounting for 70% of UK plastic waste, Tesco’s initiatives aim to make sustainable shopping more accessible, encouraging consumers to participate in recycling programs.

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