In a bid to combat plastic pollution, The Body Shop has teamed up with TerraCycle to launch an in-store plastic recycling scheme. As environmental awareness grows, people are increasingly attracted to brands that enable them to use product packaging in ways that benefit the planet.

As more plastic, paper and cardboard ends up in our rivers, oceans and landfill, people are looking at ways that they can cut back on packaging. How can shoppers achieve this and what is the grocery industry doing about it?

Fuelled by a rising awareness of how single-use plastics damage the environment, people are increasingly looking for eco-friendly alternatives to reduce their non-recyclable waste. Thanks in no small part to social media (#zerowaste has 1.4 million posts on Instagram) and documentaries such as Straws and A Plastic Ocean on Netflix, people’s interest in zero-waste living is surging.

Selected bars, restaurants, and cafes in London have joined the Refill initiative, which welcomes people asking for refills of their plastic water bottles with tap water. The scheme hopes to encourage brands and Londoners alike to do their part when it comes to curbing plastic usage.