Cranswick plc., one of the UK’s largest fresh food producers, alongside 41 other businesses and 15 organisations, have joined forces to commit to a unique pledge that will transform the plastic packaging system in the UK, keeping plastic out of our oceans and making unnecessary single use plastic packaging a thing of the past.
The UK Plastics Pact, led by WRAP is the first of a global network of such pacts, enabled by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative. This trailblazing collaboration brings together businesses from across the entire plastics value chain, responsible for over 80% of the plastic packaging in our supermarkets, along with UK governments and NGOs to tackle the problems of waste.
Cranswick and the powerful collective have committed to hit a series of ambitious targets by 2025:
- Eliminate problematic or unnecessary single-use plastic packaging through redesign, innovation or alternative (re-use) delivery models.
- 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable.
- 70% of plastic packaging effectively recycled or composted.
- 30% average recycled content across all plastic packaging.
In the UK, the Pact will stimulate innovative new business models to reduce the total amount of plastic packaging. It will also help build a stronger recycling system, where we take more responsibility for our own waste and ensure plastic packaging can be effectively recycled and made into new products and packaging and, with the support of governments, ensure consistent UK recycling is met.
Cranswick’s Group commercial director, Jim Brisby says “Following the launch of our sustainability strategy, Second Nature, earlier this year, we’re delighted to announce our latest plastics commitment as a founding partner of The UK Plastics Pact, led by WRAP. We look forward to collaborating with our peers to affect real and long-term change as we take responsibility for and work to overcome the worldwide issue of plastic waste.”
Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, said: “Our ambition to eliminate avoidable plastic waste will only be realised if government, businesses and the public work together. Industry action can prevent excess plastic reaching our supermarket shelves in the first place. I am delighted to see so many businesses sign up to this pact and I hope others will soon follow suit.”
Ellen MacArthur, founder of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, said: “We are delighted to launch this pioneering national implementation initiative with WRAP in the UK. This bold new pact will bring together businesses, policymakers and the public to create a circular economy for plastics that tackles the causes of plastics waste and pollution, not just the symptoms. Focussing on innovation, better packaging design and end-of-use systems will not only generate long-term benefits for the environment, but is also a huge economic opportunity. We encourage others around the world to help drive this momentum towards finding global solutions to what is a global problem.”
Becoming a founding member of The UK Plastics Pact, led by WRAP is the latest sustainability step for Cranswick plc., who earlier this year announced their own sustainability strategy, Second Nature. Second Nature sees Cranswick focus on four key areas – packaging reduction, food waste, energy sourcing and usage as well as community engagement. This builds on Cranswick’s Plastic Pledge, launched in January 2018, in which they announced their commitment, by 2025, to:
- REDUCE – the weight of their plastic packaging from farm to fork by 50%.
- RE-USE – all of their internal materials in a closed loop system across their business.
- RECYCLE – ensure that all packaging they use is not only 100% recyclable but easily recyclable supporting circular waste solutions.
Cranswick have also signed up to both the Courtauld Commitment 2025, an ambitious 10-year voluntary agreement bringing together leading organisations from across the entire food chain to reduce the environmental impact of food and drink across the supply chain and become a friend of the Champions 12.3 initiative, whereby they have formally pledged alignment to a UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to reduce global food waste by 50% by 2030.
For more information on The UK Plastics Pact, led by WRAP, see www.wrap.org.uk/UKplasticspact
