Waitrose pilots circular cork recycling system across UK supermarkets

Waitrose is trialing cork recycling in seven stores across the UK, becoming the first major UK supermarket to do so. 

Individual collection points have been set up in Waitrose Salisbury, followed by Saltash, Lymington, Bath, Godalming, Truro and Maidenhead once it relaunches in November.

Customers are encouraged to deposit their used natural corks with Amorim, the largest global cork processing group, for recycling.

Recycled natural cork can be repurposed into various new applications such as mulch for improving soil health and household items such as placemats and coasters. It can also be applied to wearable items like shoes.

“Waitrose customers get through uncorking nearly 25 million natural corks a year. Currently this valuable material does not have its own waste stream which means it ends up in landfill,” Barry Dick, sourcing manager at Waitrose comments.

“Cork is a durable material and has the potential to be repurposed into a variety of products after it has been used as a wine cork.”

“This trial is a fantastic way for us to reduce waste and play a part in improving our sustainability as a category. Once we’ve gauged our customer’s appetite to return their natural corks, we’re hoping to roll the trial out to further stores from next year.”

Recycled natural cork can be repurposed into various applications including household items and shoes.Distinguishing natural cork

Consumers can tell the difference between natural and synthetic cork by touch. Natural cork tends to be lighter, spongier and slightly less smooth.

Waitrose will use learnings from the trial to determine how best to roll out its program more widely, with aims to explore innovative applications of recycled cork in future propositions.

“I’m excited to kick off this trial and learn about how we can help reduce unnecessary waste of such a great material,” says Marija Rompani, director of Ethics and Sustainability at John Lewis Partnership.

“We’re always looking for ways to reduce waste and keep materials in circulation as a crucial element of our ethics and sustainability commitments, and this trial will add another layer to the work we have across the partnership.”

Research increasingly points to growing consumer frustrations with excessive and single-use supermarket packaging. A recent study unveiled the top supermarket packaging irritations for British consumers, with excessive plastic use and non-recyclable materials a significant stressor.

Last month, Ocado Retail and UK Refill Coalition pioneered a reusable packaging scheme involving a reusable vessel for the delivery of food cupboard staples and laundry products, with no additional cost to consumers.

In other recent updates, Sainsbury’s announced it is swapping its conventional plastic tray packaging for a new vacuum-packed alternative across its entire fresh lamb mince range, in a move expected to save 26 tons of plastic annually.