Ocado Van

The move follows a rise in customer searches for eco-friendly, biodegradable and reusable products

Ocado has stopped issuing paper receipts in a move the supermarket claims will save 20 million sheets a year.

From this week, deliveries no longer include paper receipts but they can still be viewed in Ocado’s app or downloaded to email through its website. Ocado says the paper saved annually could cover 312 football pitches.

The move follows a rise in customer searches for eco-friendly, biodegradable and reusable products, up 93%, 110% and 142% respectively this year compared to last, according to the online retailer.

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It’s “part of a wider, multi-pronged approach to reducing waste,” according to an Ocado spokeswoman.

“Alongside our move to paperless, we have updated and optimised our in-app receipts to make shopping with Ocado an even smoother experience,” said Alice Mannion, Ocado’s head of grocery merchandising and product.

“Our digital receipts are organised by expiry date to help reduce food waste in the home, and customers can click through for instant access to product, dietary and storage information, or to add the product to their next shop.”

Last week The Grocer revealed Ocado had introduced ‘low plastic’ and ‘recyclable’ product categories on its website, with more measures to be announced within weeks.

Earlier this year, Ocado signed the UK Plastics Pact, pledging that 100% of packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

In March, Ocado published its food waste figures for the first time, claiming 0.02%, or one in 6,000 food items, goes unused.