Some of the UK’s leading retailers have joined together to launch a recycling label that will provide standardised information on whether or not packaging can be recycled.

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UK retail body the British Retail Consortium (BRC) will operate the initiative, under OPRL (On-pack recycling label) Limited.


Local authorities’ recycling capabilities will be monitored by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme). These capabilities will determine the labelling category each packaging material fall into.


There will be three grades of recyclable material: “widely recycled”, “check local recycling” and “not currently recycled”.


The initiative comes in response to criticism levelled at supermarkets, notably by local authorities, over the amount of packaging they produce.

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In February, the Local Government Association said supermarkets should pay towards recycling costs because they produce a large proportion of waste.


However, a spokesperson for the BRC suggested that there was “an element of scapegoat” and that local authorities should focus on coordinating what they will and will not recycle. 


“Customer confusion is the biggest barrier to improving recycling rates. Replacing a potentially confusing array of symbols and messages with a single, standardised logo will help customers recycle more of what can be recycled,” Stephen Robertson, BRC Director General said.


“A string of household-name retailers are already committed to using the label. I hope we see all businesses that use packaging join this valuable scheme.”