New World and Pak’nSave have commenced a five-month trial of a specialised soft plastics compacting system designed for customers to use in-store.
Developed in New Zealand by Manco Environmental, the machine is the first front-of-house compactor of its kind globally.
The trial is being conducted in partnership with The Packaging Forum’s Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme at five locations: New World stores in Whangamatā, Whitianga, Birkenhead, and Matamata, and Pak’nSave Thames.
The pilot program aims to determine if the technology can reduce the operational burden on store staff while making the recycling process more efficient for shoppers.
Foodstuffs Sustainable Packaging Lead, Debra Goulding, says the existing bin-and-bag system can be challenging to manage in stores with high return volumes, particularly where back-of-store space is limited or in remote areas.
Earlier, Woolworths reinstated its soft plastics collection points in many Australian stores.
