Wal-Mart’s Asda commits to cutting excess waste

Wal-Mart’s UK subsidiary Asda is reaffirming its commitment to cut out unnecessary waste by joining INCPEN (The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment). The organisation helps to make packaging more sustainable throughout the supply chain. The supermarket has already reduced packaging on its own label products by 25% in the last 12 months and will now pool its operational knowledge and technical expertise with material suppliers, packaging manufacturers and other retailers of packaged goods from across the globe, in a bid to minimise the environmental impact of the product supply chain. By working cross-functionally with other influential companies under INCPEN’s guidance, Asda hopes the industry can implement cross-sector improvements to help reduce consumption and keep costs to a minimum – enabling the supermarket to pass on savings by lowering prices so that its customers can afford to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Shane Monkman, Asda’s packaging buyer, said: “Our customers tell us time and time again that they want to buy good quality food which isn’t packaged excessively, can be easily recycled and has a long shelf life. By pooling our resources in a forum dedicated to packaging, we can help pioneer new technologies which will ultimately help our customers reduce the amount of packaging and food waste they throw away – helping them save money in the process.”