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Shoppers get first taste of plastic-free aisles

The world’s first plastic-free supermarket aisle was unveiled in an Amsterdam supermarket this week. 

More than 700 plastic-free products are included in the pilot at Dutch supermarket chain Ekoplaza. Everything from meat and rice to dairy and chocolate will be available. The store will also test new compostable materials.

“For decades shoppers have been sold the lie that we can’t live without plastic in food and drink,” said Sian Sutherland, co-founder at A Plastic Planet. “A plastic-free aisle dispels all that.”

In January, the UK prime minister Theresa May urged supermarkets to “do much more to cut down on unnecessary plastic packaging”. Launching the 25-year environment plan – which focused heavily on plastic – she said she would “work with them to explore introducing plastic-free aisles, where all the food is sold loose”.