Supermarket wraps purchase in single-use plastic despite customer bringing own container

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A Castleton shopper was recently left disappointed after a supermarket fish counter purchase was wrapped in layers of single-use plastic, despite being armed with her own container.

The customer, who wished to remain anonymous, visited the Tesco store on Silk Street, Sudden, on Monday night (14 January) to purchase some fish from the counter.

Despite Tesco encouraging customers at all their stores to bring their own containers for meat, cheese or fish from September 2018, the local resident says she was unable to use the container she had taken to the counter.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/122521/tesco-customers-encourage-to-bring-own-containers-at-deli-counters

According to the customer, the assistant on the counter told her that they ‘hadn’t been told what to do with the containers’ as ‘head office haven’t told us and the manager isn’t in today, so I can’t use it'.

Much to her dismay, the purchased fish was then wrapped in three layers of plastic.

A spokesperson for Tesco said: “We’re committed to reducing single use plastic and enable customers to use their own containers at deli counters in our stores.

“The store manager is reminding colleagues at our Rochdale store of how to best serve customers who bring their own containers. 

“We apologise for the experience this customer had and would welcome them back to the store in future where they’ll be able to use their own containers.”

Instead of using single-use plastic bags, products should be weighed and wrapped in 100% recyclable and biodegradable paper then placed inside the customer’s container with the price label placed on the paper.

Customers will not be able to use their own containers for hot food products, such as cooked rotisserie chicken, store-prepared pizzas, salad bars or olives and antipasti.

Only multi-use plastic sealable containers will be accepted - no glass, metal or cardboard containers - with separate ones for raw and ready-to-eat cooked products.