More than 40 companies, including Britain's biggest supermarkets, Coca Cola, Nestle and Procter & Gamble, have bowed to growing pressure to tackle pollution by committing to cut plastic use over the next seven years.
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The companies have promised to hit a target by 2025 to eliminate unnecessary single-use plastic packaging in the United Kingdom.
Signing up to the UK Plastics Pact, launched on Thursday by sustainability campaign group WRAP, they have pledged that 100 per cent of plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by that date.
Other targets are that 70 per cent of plastic packaging is effectively recycled or composted, and that all plastic packaging will have 30 per cent average recycled content.
Food and drink manufacturers and retailers around the world are under pressure to act on plastic waste given growing concern from the public and MPs about its damaging impact on the environment.
Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to eradicate avoidable plastic waste in Britain by 2042 as part of a "national plan of action" and her government is looking at a range of options including banning some products and using the tax system to change consumers' behaviour.
The 42 Plastic Pact companies are responsible for over 80 per cent of the plastic packaging on products sold through UK supermarkets, according to WRAP.
Market leader Tesco, Sainsbury's, Walmart's Asda, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer, discounters Aldi and Lidl have all signed up. Other signatories include the UK government and trade associations.
Australian Associated Press
