Sainsbury’s announces partnership to make it easier to recycle aluminium coffee pods at home

The food giant has partnered with coffee pod manufacturer Dualit and On-Pack Recycling Label Ltd to produce aluminium pods that can be recycled at home if empty of coffee grinds.

Previously it was widely believed that aluminium coffee pods were too small to be recycled unless via specialist collection schemes. However, Sainsbury’s has discovered that waste management companies are able to capture and recycle these small items.

From the 12th September, Sainsbury’s will be the first retailer to offer own brand aluminium coffee pods labelled as recyclable. The label will highlight the importance of emptying and rinsing the pod before placing it in the recycling bin, so the clean aluminium can be sorted and recycled.

Sainsbury’s has teamed up with Dualit and On-Pack Recycling Label Ltd to help educate consumers on how to increase recycling at home.

From November, Sainsbury’s will also offer Dualit EcoPress to consumers in their stores. This device ensures coffee is removed from the aluminium, making it quicker and easier to recycle the material.

Claire Hughes, Director of Product and Innovation at Sainsbury’s, said: “We’re always looking for new ways to help our customers live more sustainably at home, and key to that is making sure any changes are small and easy to implement.”

“That’s why we decided to challenge the notion that aluminium coffee pods can’t be recycled and with consumers more concerned about the planet than ever before, it felt like a natural place to look.”

“Whilst we might be the first retailer to label our own brand coffee pods as recyclable, it’s important to understand that many aluminium pods are in fact recyclable. We hope others follow suit and change their packaging to raise awareness and encourage recycling.”

Since earlier this year, Sainsbury’s has focused on encouraging consumers to make a positive change for their health and their planet with the new brand mission ‘Helping Everyone Eat Better’.

Sainsbury’s has already committed to reduce plastic packaging by 50% across branded and own brand products by 2025. Additionally, the food giant has introduced in-store recycling points in 520 stores, making it easier for consumers to recycle plastic.