Waitrose becomes first major UK retailer to trial cork recycling scheme

From 7 October, the upmarket retailer will trial the scheme in seven stores across the UK, with individual collection points being set up in Waitrose’s Salisbury supermarket, followed by Saltash, Lymington, Bath, Godalming, Truro and Maidenhead once it relaunches in November.

Customers will be encouraged to deposit their used natural corks for recycling via the largest cork processing group in the world, Amorim.

The recycled cork will be repurposed into a variety of new applications, including mulch and household items such as placemats, coasters, flooring and shoes.

Waitrose will use learnings from the trial to determine how best to roll it out more widely, as it hopes to explore innovative applications of recycled cork in future propositions.

Waitrose beer, wine and spirits global bulk wine sourcing manager Barry Dick said: “Waitrose customers get through a corking nearly 25m natural corks a year. Currently this valuable material does not have its own waste stream which means it ends up in landfill. Cork is a durable material and has the potential to be repurposed into a variety of products after it has been used as a wine cork.

“This trial is a fantastic way for us to reduce waste and play a part in improving our sustainability as a category. Once we’ve gauged our customer’s appetite to return their natural corks, we’re hoping to roll the trial out to further stores from next year.”

Last year, Waitrose became the first UK supermarket to trial selling wine bottles without plastic or foil sleeves that are typically found around the neck.

The change looked to save half a tonne of unnecessary packaging per year.

Grocery Gazette