Tesco Trials Laser-Etched Avocados to Reduce Plastic Waste

Tesco, Britain's largest supermarket chain, has launched a trial to sell avocados with lasered barcodes on the skin in a bid to reduce plastic waste. This initiative, conducted in partnership with supplier Westfalia Fruit, aims to eliminate the need for traditional barcode stickers.

The trial, which is taking place in approximately 270 Tesco stores in southeast England, uses high-powered lasers to etch product information onto the avocado skin. This process removes a tiny section of the top layer of the skin in less than a second, leaving a design that communicates the size or variety of the fruit to customers.

Why this matters: Reducing plastic waste is a critical step towards mitigating the environmental impact of human activities. If successful, this initiative could inspire similar approaches in other industries, leading to a significant reduction in plastic waste globally.

If successful, the initiative could be rolled out across all Tesco stores, potentially saving nearly one million plastic stickers per year on loose, extra-large avocados. Tesco sells almost 70 million avocados annually, making this a significant step towards reducing plastic waste in the range.

Lisa Gilbey, Tesco's avocado buyer, expressed enthusiasm about the trial, stating, 'We're always looking for innovative ways to reduce the environmental impact of our products, and cut down on plastic waste in the home through changes to our packaging. We're really excited to hear customer feedback on our new laser-etched avocados, avoiding the need for a barcode sticker that can easily be forgotten and left on when recycling through household food waste.'

Graham Isaac, General Manager of Westfalia Fruit, also commented on the initiative, saying, 'We are confident that, with a clear focus and united effort as an industry, we will be able to significantly reduce our waste, use natural resources responsibly and protect the environment and biodiversity for all our futures.'

In addition to the laser-etched barcodes, Tesco is also trialing the replacement of plastic tray packaging for two popular avocado lines with cardboard containers that are easier to recycle. If rolled out across all Tesco stores, this change could save over 20 million pieces of plastic tray packaging from the twin pack avocado alone, increasing to 25 million pieces across the pre-packed range.

This trial is part of Tesco's broader efforts to reduce plastic usage and meet its environmental commitments. The supermarket chain is targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 across its operations, including those generated by the products it sells and its supply chains.

Supermarket industry continues to seek innovative solutions to reduce plastic waste, Tesco's trial of laser-etched avocados represents a promising step forward. The success of this initiative could pave the way for similar approaches in other product categories, contributing to a more sustainable future.

Key Takeaways

• Tesco trials laser-etched avocados to reduce plastic waste from barcode stickers.
• The trial uses high-powered lasers to etch product info onto avocado skin.
• If successful, it could save nearly 1 million plastic stickers per year.
• Tesco also trials replacing plastic tray packaging with cardboard containers.
• The initiative aims to contribute to Tesco's goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.