The supermarket giant Asda has opened its first ever sustainable trial store in Middleton this month in a bid to offer a range of new and innovative ways to help reduce and remove plastic packaging.
Asda has partnered with popular household brands and vintage clothing company Pre-Loved for the new part of its store.
During a tour of Asda Middleton, Suzie Hardy, sustainability manager told Yorkshire Voice: “Our CEO Roger Burnley is very passionate about plastic; he gave us this store which doesn’t happen very often. This store is our best shot at doing more from a sustainability point of view.
“To do something you need to visually disrupt people’s shop, that’s why you can see we have made sure we have a lot of new signage and branding.
“We are working with [Pre-Loved] as a partnership. These clothes have been handpicked for us. It seems to be drawing a lot of interest, it is good fun to have a rummage.
Suzie said the refill zone had been a particular success.
“The refill zone is the hero area; it is the reason why this project was given to us. It is all about getting rid of plastic packaging. The Vimto machine is the real shining star and it is exceeding all our sales expectations. It is doing really well.”
Asda Middleton also has a brand new water fountain that offers still and sparkling water in the restaurant to encourage fewer purchases of single-use water bottles.
Beauty Kitchen is one of the partnerships helping to create a sustainable Asda. Lucy Pottinger, Head of styles at Beauty Kitchen said the reusable filling pumps were one of the things they’re doing to help.
“We want to discourage the use of plastic as much as possible, but from a user/journey point of view some people want to use a pump for things like hand wash and conditioner.
“We encourage customers to then buy a reusable pump and wash it at home then bring their bottle back, then you aren’t using lots of plastic.”
Asda Middleton’s sustainable trial store looks to have been a hit with the public already.
Leeds resident Lizzy Newton said: “For me Asda Middleton isn’t exactly local, it is about 15-20-minute drive away. But I’ll make the trip to go and use the sustainable products they have out. It looks as if it’ll be a good way forward for supermarket chains and I am really excited about it.”