ASOS Trials Reusable Packaging

Fashion retailer ASOS has announced it will trial reusable packaging in 2020 in a bid to cut plastics waste.

ASOS revealed in December that it has joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastic Economy Global Commitment, which commits signatories to create a “new normal” for plastics packaging by 2025.

ASOS has pledged to eliminate all “unnecessary” or “problematic” plastic packaging from its products, and to ensure its packaging is 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable. It aims to fulfil these commitments by 2025 in accordance with the Commitment.

ASOS noted that while 100% of its current packaging is recyclable in principle, it is not yet recyclable in practice as a result of issues regarding processing and collection infrastructure.

For example, flexible plastic mailing bags – which ASOS uses to package many of its clothing products – may be recyclable, but are not accepted by all of the UK’s local authorities for kerbside collection, making it difficult for consumers to recycle them.

“We’ve been working hard to reduce our use of plastic across ASOS, including investing in developing our ASOS mailing bags, which will contain 65% recycled material in the new year and are already 100% recyclable,” commented ASOS’s responsible sourcing director Simon Platts.

“However, there’s always more we can do, which is why we’ve become a signatory of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastic Economy Global Commitment.”