Recycling

There are many factors that affect an item’s recyclability and deciding what can and can’t go in your home recycling bin isn’t always easy

To make things a little easier, and to try to help reduce as much packaging as possible from going to landfill, we’ve extended the items of packaging that you can recycle with us in-store.

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The majority of us are aware of the importance of recycling and want to do our bit, but understanding what can and cannot be recycled, and in what bin, is actually pretty complex.

That’s why we’re really pleased to be working with our fellow Co-ops across the country to support our customers to do their bit to support a cleaner and more sustainable planet, by providing a simple, easy and convenient way to recycle.

Soft plastics are those which spring back after you scrunch them in your hand - such as bread bags, cereal box liners and toilet roll packaging. 

Once sorted, the recycled wrapping is turned into plastic pellets, which can be used to create new products like bin liners and buckets!

To help make sure the soft plastic recycling bin doesn't become contaminated...

🧼 Keep it clean

It's really important that any packaging you're planning to recycle is clean, as any contamination could mean the entire bins worth of soft plastics is unable to be recycled. Simply give it a good rinse or a brush down before bringing it into store.

❌ No hard plastics

Please do not place hard plastics in these recycling bins. Hard plastics include items such as plastic bottles, bottle tops, yogurt pots and ready meal trays, and will contaminate the soft plastics meaning they're unable to be recycled. Please also avoid placing compostable and/or biodegradable carrier bags, bags and wrappers in the soft plastics bin.

Hard plastics can often be recycled at home or at a local recycling centre. For an easy way to work out what you can recycle and where in your local community, visit the Recycle Now website.

The following items can now be recycled in our Food stores:

General

  • Thin plastic lids of all types
  • Kitchen towel, toilet roll, nappy bag, cotton wool wrappers
  • Pouches - microwave rice, pre-cooked mussels, petfood etc. 
  • Fruit & veg nets, bags and wrappers
  • Plastic sauce sachets

Bags

  • Ordinary carrier bags
  • Bread bags
  • Crisps, nuts, snack bags
  • Bags from: 
    • Cereal and porridge
    • Dried goods - dried fruit, pasta, rice, sugar, pulses, etc
    • Frozen foods and ice cubes.

Wrappers & Film

  • Chocolate and sweets bags and wrappers
  • Biscuit wrappers
  • Cling film
  • Pizza wrapping film
  • Bread product wrappers: 
    • Croissants
    • Pancakes
    • Naan bread
    • Pitta bread
    • Garlic bread
    • Fresh pasta
  • Wrappers from: 
    • Cheese, pastry, cakes, Yorkshire puddings
    • Baby wipes etc.
    • Meat, poultry and joints
    • Tea and teabags, ground coffee, etc.
    • Pies, pasties, sausage rolls
    • Household textiles, scourers, rubber gloves etc. 
    • Giftwrap, greeting cards, etc.
  • Flower wrappers
  • Petfood wrappers

All Co-op own brand food packaging can be recycled. Limitations may apply to third party packaging*.

Free to use soft plastic recycling bins are available for customers in all East of England Co-op stores across the region**, along with collection points for used batteries and bags for life.

*While we will accept soft plastics from any retailer or brand, we can't guarantee that such third party packaging will be recycled. Some of the more technical materials will have multiple layers, the composition of which we cannot be certain of, and these may end up being incinerated to produce energy. However, the majority of third party soft plastic will be made from materials which will go to be recycled within our scheme.

Please note that the labelling on packaging may not be up to date with the soft plastics recycling scheme. As such, not all soft plastics will currently be labelled as recyclable. The producers we work with are working hard to ensure that labelling is clearer.

**not available in Norwich Station.