Aldi trials removal of coloured milk caps to “improve recyclability”

Aldi is trialling clear caps on its milk bottles in a bid to “further improve the recyclability” of its products. The supermarket is scrapping the green bottle tops on its British Semi Skimmed Standard Milk products in favour of clear caps, which it says are easier to recycle.

If successful and rolled out to all Müller-supplied stores, Aldi says an additional 60 tonnes per year of recycled High-Density Polythene (rHDPE) could be turned back into food-grade packaging, as the milk bottle tops will be reused to create new milk bottles.

The milk bottles already contained up to 40 per cent recycled material but with access to more, they could increase this.

Plastics and Packaging Director at Aldi, Richard Gorman, said: “We know it’s becoming increasingly important to our customers that their everyday products are environmentally-friendly, and we are constantly reviewing ways to become a more sustainable supermarket.

“By trialling clear milk caps we are making our milk bottles easier to recycle, so they can be turned back into new packaging.”

Aldi says the move is the latest in its efforts to increase the number of recycled materials in its products. The supermarket says it is on track to have 50% of its plastic packaging made from recycled materials by 2025.