Morrisons brings back refill container scheme as Covid cases fall

Morrisons is relaunching its refillable container scheme to fresh meat and fish counters across the UK, as it begins to ease measures brought in during the coronavirus crisis.

The refill scheme, which was launched in 2018, was put on hold because of the pandemic. The supermarket said it was now safe to bring back amid plunging Covid numbers.

Butchers, fishmongers and deli staff will from now ask customers if they have brought their own container to be refilled, rather than automatically putting products into single-use packaging.

The initiative is available in all Morrisons stores and with the containers being given a sticky label that is then scanned at the tills.

Morrisons said if every customer used a refillable container for their counter purchases it would save 2,000 tonnes of plastic a year.

Meanwhile, the supermarket has also begun work to remove 900 tonnes of plastic packaging from its butcher and fishmonger counters a year by introducing new lighter weight recyclable trays.

“Reducing plastic in our stores is an important part of our sustainability agenda and it really matters to our customers too,” said Morrisons packaging manager Natasha Cook.

“The service was very popular with our customers when it was first introduced before lockdown, and we’re pleased to see it return with some great value deals on our fresh, British quality products.”