Walkers crisp packet recycling scheme launches nationwide

Walkers is launching a crisp packet recycling scheme in response to a public campaign against plastic waste.

Campaigners had called on the consumers to post the non-recyclable crisp bags back to the Leicester based manufacturer and celebrate their environmentally-conscious act on social media.

Now Walkers is launching a free scheme, which it describes as a nationwide first, to recycle the packets of any crisp brand in response to the backlash.

Snackers will be asked to send their bags to recycling firm TerraCycle, which will shred them into plastic pellets to be used in everyday items, like outdoor furniture and trays.

Find your nearest crisp packet deposit site in the Midlands here:https://www.terracycle.co.uk/en-GB/brigades/crisppacket

The scheme has won the backing of Environment Secretary Michael Gove, who said: “As the custodians of our planet, we must take action now to protect our oceans and wildlife from single-use plastic pollution.

“Walkers are setting a fine example with this new scheme, and I want to see other companies step-up, follow suit and reduce their environmental impact.”

As the campaign gained traction, Royal Mail had to ask customers not to post anything that is not correctly packaged after the online petition against Walkers’ plastic waste soared past 300,000.

Consumers were taking selfies of themselves posting empty crisp packets addressed to Walkers and putting them online with the hashtag #PacketInWalkers.

Emily Stevenson, a 21-year-old campaigner against crisp plastic waste, celebrated Walkers’ move as a “step in the right direction”.

“We all need to keep working together with Walkers to find better solutions because this is a short-term fix and we do need to keep working towards getting risk of plastic packaging altogether,” she said.

“To save the planet people need to be thinking that we are going to have to be making sacrifices – or stop eating crisps.”