We work with retailers to make it easy for their customers to access high-quality flexi recycling by hosting flexible plastic collection points in-store.
*Whether you call it flexi, flexible, soft or “plastic bags and wrapping” there are loads of ways to describe things like wrappers, packets, film and pouches. The important thing is that by working together, we can make sure it gets recycled.
Aldi offers full transparency on flexible plastic recycling
Aldi UK now offers full visibility on the journey of flexible plastic packaging from their premises, right through the recycling journey to end product.
Plastic bags and wrapping collected from the public is tracked and the recycling verified by the Flexible Plastic Fund using the AI-powered system, eco2Veritas™, developed by Greenback Recycling Technologies. The system shows how much plastic is collected, how much is sorted and into which polymers and how much is finally reprocessed and into what end products.
Aldi then receives funding from the Flexible Plastic Fund for each tonne of material that is verified as being recycled.
In February 2024, Aldi received its first certificate, which confirmed 62 tonnes of in-scope (post-consumer flexible plastic packaging/plastic bags and wrapping) Polyethylene and 25 tonnes of in-scope Polypropylene were recycled.
“Initiatives like this are essential to build confidence: the public needs to know that this material is actually being recycled; and the industry also needs to know what is possible using this feedstock and that being open about recycling and end destinations has strong benefits.”
Gareth Morton - Discovery Manager at Ecosurety
How does it work?
Everyone has a role to play in bringing flexi back. Individuals will be able to return their plastic bags and wrapping to retailer collection points. Retailers can partner with recyclers to access financial support from the Fund to help recycle the flexible plastic packaging.
We only provide our financial support when material is independently certified as having been recycled. By focussing on the output, the Fund also encourages the best possible outcomes for the material and we aim to support the highest quality recycled products possible. Manufacturers who use flexible plastic packaging and support the FPF can have confidence that they are supporting actual recycling.
Building a transparent recycling system
Through the Flexible Plastic Fund’s independently developed tracking and auditing system – the AI-powered eco2Veritas™, developed by Greenback Recycling Technologies - all flexible plastic packaging collected by participating retailers will be tracked from their premises through to either a recycled pellet ready for remanufacture or a final product.
Partners can be confident they are contributing to a fully transparent recycling system, where the aim is for at least 80% of the material tracked by the FPF is recycled in the UK, with the remainder being recycled in qualifying recycling plants within Europe.
Most supermarkets collect plastic bags and wrapping via front-of-store recycling points. Find out where you can currently recycle your plastic bags and wrapping on the Recycle Now website.
Join the retailers
Lead the way by supporting the Flexible Plastic Fund to demonstrate your commitment to reducing plastic waste.
Make it easy for your customers to access high-quality flexi recycling by hosting flexible plastic collection points in-store.
Check out WRAP’s tips for in-store flexible recycling here.