Packaging crackdown gets government boost

Moves to cut packaging waste received a boost this week as a group of leading firms pledged to curb waste levels across their supply chain and new environment minister Lord Henley called on more high-street names to follow suit.

The government-backed Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) announced today that seven additional firms have signed up to its Courtauld Commitment 2 scheme since it was launched in March, taking to 36 the total number of businesses to have pledged to meet voluntary waste reduction targets under the initiative.

New members include Marks & Spencer, Heineken UK, Burton Foods and Dale Farm, the first Northern Irish firm to join the scheme.

Under the second round of the Courtauld Commitment scheme, firms signing up to the initiative pledge to reduce the carbon impact of grocery packaging by 10 per cent, cut household food and drink wastes by four per cent, and reduce supply chain product and packaging waste by five per cent by 2012.

The group held its inaugural meeting yesterday to identify the measures and best practices that will be required to try and meet the new targets.

The Courtauld Commitment was set up under the previous government, but has already secured the backing of the coalition with recently appointed environment minister Lord Henley telling the meeting that he wanted to see more retailers join the scheme.

"This government is right behind you – the prime minister has pledged this will be the greenest government ever, and waste is one of the biggest environmental challenges facing this country," he said. "We must all work together, exploring ideas, sharing innovations and successes."