British retailer, Marks & Spencer (M&S) has announced that it saved £11m in 2010/11 as a result of packaging reduction initiatives carried out under its ‘Plan A’ sustainability initiative.
M&S said it has reduced the weight of non-glass packaging by 26% per item since 2006/07, with non-glass packaging for food down by an average of 20% and for general merchandise, a reduction of 46%, an achievement of 25% in packaging reduction.
The retailer has also reduced home delivery packaging by 16% between 2008/09 and the end of 2010 and increased the amount of recycled polyester used to 1,900 tonnes.
Operational waste has been reduced to 77 tonnes in 2010/11 from 116 tonnes in 2008/09 - a 34% cut.
M&S has also provided £1.25 million over a five-year period for councils which are members of the Somerset Waste Partnership to extend kerbside collections of card and plastic.
The work has captured 5,000 tonnes of packaging waste in 2010/11 and M&S now plans to extend the scheme to the Kent Waste Partnership during 2011/12.