Waitrose & Partners joins Polytag’s Ecotrace Programme

British supermarket chain, Waitrose & Partners, has become the latest major retailer to join Polytag’s Ecotrace Programme, an industry-led initiative aimed at transforming the tracking and recycling of single-use plastic packaging in the UK. 

As an Ecotrace member, Waitrose will gain access to the Polytag dashboard, an online hub that displays never-before-seen, live barcode-level lifecycle data on plastic packaging materials as they enter the recycling stream.  

The Ecotrace Programme was launched in the summer of 2024 to optimize the identification and recycling of plastic packaging waste. With its partners, Polytag is deploying its invisible UV Tag detection technology in 12 strategically located Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), in order to improve the efficiency and accuracy of plastic recycling in the UK. 

The program involves installing Polytag Plastic Detection Units at leading MRFs. These units, which are retrofitted to conveyors, detect packaging that has been ‘marked’ with Polytag’s invisible UV Tags, applied at speed using fluorescent ink. Thanks to this technological advancement, for the first time, brands are able to accurately identify how much of their packaging has been recycled post-consumption.  

As Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Legislation comes into force, retailers and brands will need to take responsibility for the recycling of their packaging materials.  

Polytag will soon have installed 12 PDUs at MRFs across the UK, further increasing Polytag’s coverage of the nation’s plastic waste stream. This will provide members with even more data that will enable them to take responsibility for their single-use plastic packaging and drive up the country’s recycling rate.  

Alice Rackley, CEO of Polytag, said: ‘Waitrose joins us at a pivotal moment as we approach our goal of installing PDUs at 12 sites within the first year of our Ecotrace Programme. This is an incredible achievement that will empower FMCG brands, retailers and waste management companies by providing invaluable access to granular barcode-level data on 50 percent of the UK’s waste recycling stream. 

‘This wouldn’t be possible without the support of partners like Waitrose, who share our vision for transforming the way plastic waste is tracked and recycled. Their participation marks a major milestone for us, and we’re incredibly proud to be working together to drive meaningful change in recycling rates and bring the industry together to revolutionize data capture and how we interact with single-use plastic. We would also love to hear from other industry leaders that are interested in joining the program to work towards a more circular economy.’ 

Denise Mathieson, head of packaging design and delivery at Waitrose, said: ‘At Waitrose, we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment and finding innovative solutions to improve the recyclability of our packaging. Joining Polytag’s Ecotrace Programme is a significant step forward in enhancing our ability to track and understand the journey of our plastic packaging post-consumption. 

‘By leveraging Polytag’s technology, we will gain unprecedented insights into how our packaging is recycled, allowing us to make more informed decisions that support a circular economy. This initiative aligns with our ongoing sustainability efforts and reinforces our dedication to reducing single-use plastic waste. We are excited to collaborate with Polytag and other retailers to drive meaningful change at an industry level, ultimately contributing to a more transparent and effective recycling system in the UK.’