{"id":6412,"date":"2025-04-09T08:55:47","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T12:55:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packagingindustrynews.com\/?p=6412"},"modified":"2025-04-09T08:55:47","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T12:55:47","slug":"waitrose-joins-polytags-ecotrace-scheme-to-enhance-plastic-recycling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packagingindustrynews.com\/?p=6412","title":{"rendered":"Waitrose joins Polytag\u2019s Ecotrace scheme to enhance plastic recycling"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By joining the scheme, Waitrose will gain access to the Polytag dashboard. Credit: chrisdorney \/ Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

British supermarket chain Waitrose & Partners has joined Polytag\u2019s Ecotrace scheme, an industry-led initiative aimed at transforming the tracking and recycling of plastic packaging in the UK.<\/p>\n

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The scheme, introduced in 2024, is designed to optimise the management of domestic plastic waste.<\/p>\n

By joining the Ecotrace scheme, Waitrose will gain access to the Polytag dashboard, an online platform that offers live barcode-level life cycle data on plastic packaging materials.<\/p>\n

This system tracks the progress of packaging as it enters the recycling process, helping to improve both accuracy and efficiency in recycling.<\/p>\n

Polytag\u2019s Ecotrace Programme works by deploying its invisible UV Tag detection technology at 12 strategically placed material recovery facilities (MRFs) across the UK.<\/p>\n

This technology detects packaging marked with Polytag\u2019s UV Tags, which are applied swiftly using fluorescent ink to enhance identification during the recycling procedure.<\/p>\n

With the introduction of extended producer responsibility legislation in the UK, this initiative will support brands and retailers to meet their recycling obligations.<\/p>\n

Polytag is planning to extend its coverage with the installation of 12 additional Polytag plastic detection units at MRFs across the country.<\/p>\n

This expansion will broaden the reach of the UK\u2019s plastic waste stream, providing members with even more data and helping to improve recycling rates.<\/p>\n

Waitrose packaging design and delivery head Denise Mathieson said: \u201cAt Waitrose, we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment and finding innovative solutions to improve the recyclability of our packaging.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoining Polytag\u2019s Ecotrace Programme is a significant step forward in enhancing our ability to track and understand the journey of our plastic packaging post-consumption.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy leveraging Polytag\u2019s technology, we will gain unprecedented insights into how our packaging is recycled, allowing us to make more informed decisions that support a circular economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last October, Waitrose trialled cork recycling<\/a> across seven of its UK stores.<\/p>\n

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