Waitrose launches cork recycling trial

Starting on 7th October, Waitrose will begin a cork recycling pilot in seven stores across the UK, becoming the 'first major supermarket in the country to implement such a scheme'.

Collection points will initially be placed in Waitrose Salisbury, followed by locations in Saltash, Lymington, Bath, Godalming, Truro, and Maidenhead (reopening in November). The initiative encourages customers to recycle their used natural corks, which will be processed by Amorim, the world’s largest cork processing company.

According to Waitrose, customers use around 25 million natural corks each year, but currently, there is no dedicated recycling system for this material, meaning most end up in landfill. Natural cork is durable and can be repurposed into various products after its use in wine bottles. This trial aims to reduce waste and contribute to the company’s broader sustainability goals.

If successful, the trial may expand to more stores in 2024, depending on customer participation. Recycled corks can be transformed into products such as mulch for soil health, placemats, coasters, flooring, and even shoes.

Marija Rompani, Director of Ethics and Sustainability at John Lewis Partnership said: I’m excited to kick off this trial and learn about how we can help reduce unnecessary waste of such a great material. We’re always looking for ways to reduce waste and keep materials in circulation as a crucial element of our Ethics & Sustainability commitments, and this trial will add another layer to the work we have across the Partnership.

Waitrose will use the results from the trial to assess how it could further integrate cork recycling into its operations, with an eye on exploring innovative applications for recycled cork as part of the company's circular economy efforts.