From this week, Marks & Spencer is introducing recycled plastic to its Food packaging.

Recycled PET plastic (rPET) is now being used by the high street retailer across its lunchtime 'Food to go…' range of fresh salads, juices and smoothies.

Marks & Spencer is working together with recycling experts Closed Loop London* and London Remade** in the programme, which is being funded by WRAP*** - the Waste & Resources Action Programme. The programme is part of Marks & Spencer's responsible approach to packaging, focusing on areas of its food business that produce large amounts of waste.

To encourage customers to 'close the loop' and recycle the packaging from their lunchtime snacks, recycling bins will also be cited at four Marks & Spencer stores in central London: Marble Arch, Pantheon, Edgware Road and Finsbury Pavement in the City.

Helene Roberts, Marks & Spencer's packaging expert, comments: "This recycling initiative forms part of our responsible packaging strategy that we're implementing across a vast section of our food range. Lunchtime foods and fresh produce create a lot of disposable waste and areas our customers have most issue with when it comes to recycling.

"We're trialling the introduction of the new bins to make it easy for customers to recycle their waste. This is a step in the right direction to help our customers recycle sustainable packaging material and thus really close the recycling loop."

Dr Liz Goodwin, Director of Materials for WRAP, said: "We are delighted to be working with Marks & Spencer, Closed Loop London and London Remade on this high profile range. The launch of the new recycled PET packs reflects the growing desire by retailers and consumers to see recycled plastic being used in packaging.

"In recent research conducted by WRAP, 79% of consumers said they would feel 'more positive' about a brand or a manufacturer that uses recycled plastic. We are confident that the consumer reaction to the new Marks & Spencer packs will be positive and anticipate that, as a result of the partnership project, other retailers and branded manufacturers will be developing packaging with recycled content."

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For further information, please contact:
Ginnie Oram/Becky Erwood Staniforth 020 7940 7999
Victoria Broughton Marks & Spencer 020 8718 6891

Notes to Editors
PET is used in a significant proportion of plastic bottles and other types of packaging. In 2003, 250,000 tonnes of PET was used in the UK, of which 15,000 tonnes of plastic bottles (500 million) were recycled but very little went back into UK packaging production. The partnership between Marks & Spencer, Closed Loop London, London Remade and WRAP, aims to encourage steady market demand for the material, which in turn could prompt the establishment of a PET recycling plant in the UK.

*Closed Loop London Limited (CLL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Australian company, Closed Loop Environmental Solutions (CLES). CLES, which trades in Australia as Visy Closed Loop, was established as joint venture company with Visy industries in October 2001. Visy Industries is the world's largest privately owned paper, packaging and recycling company.

Closed Loop recycling programmes involve the provision of packaging materials which can be taken back after use, recycled and manufactured into new end use products. This holistic approach to waste management has been implemented internationally across a wide range of industries. The manufacture, collection and reprocessing of plastics, namely PET, is a major component of closed loop recycling that requires significant development within the UK. Further information on Closed Loop London is available at www.visyclosedloop.com

** London Remade drives material resource efficiency in the capital, by increasing demand for recycled material through the development of collections, reprocessing, remanufacture and procurement. Please visit www.londonremade.com

*** WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) is a major UK programme established to promote resource efficiency. Its particular focus is on creating stable and efficient markets for recycled materials and products and removing the barriers for waste minimisation, re-use and recycling. A not-for-profit company in the private sector, WRAP is backed by substantial Government funding from Defra, DTI and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Details of all WRAP's activities are available at www.wrap.org.uk

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