Plastic bag collection service launched by Iceland

Drivers will collect old plastic bags from customers that will then be returned to the store and then to the local depot.

The retailer says the service will provide added convenience for customers who no longer want their old bags but have no effective way of properly disposing of them at home.

At the moment, flexible plastics are not commonly collected or recycled and typically end up in household waste.

Richard Walker, managing director of Iceland and The Food Warehouse, said: “Reducing the production of plastic remains an absolute priority for Iceland, but we are also aware that so much of the plastic that is already out there ends up in landfill.

“We are tackling plastic pollution by providing a solution that ensures old, unused plastic bags are reliably recycled and contributing to the circular economy, rather than leaking into the environment.”

The latest move follows the company’s decision to install plastic recycling bins in Food Warehouse stores to help customers recycle material they are not able to recycle at home.

The bins, which will be located at the front of stores, allow customers to recycle flexible plastic items including carrier bags, bread and produce bags and magazine wraps.

Iceland has already pledged to be plastic-neutral from 2022 by offsetting its remaining plastic footprint.