Moy Park has launched a new campaign to tackle the use of plastics and packaging across its business.

The company plans to reduce its overall usage of packaging by 5% year on year while also increasing the percentage of recyclable packaging by 5%.

The target is included in a set of goals announced by Moy Park as part of its ‘Remove, Reduce, Recycle and Research’ Strategy and is backed by a range of initiatives across the business.

The company says it will collaborate with academics and supply chain partners to develop sustainable packaging across its product portfolio and will also remove avoidable single-use plastic from its own offices and restaurants by 2020.

The business plans to move to 100% widely recyclable rigid packaging by 2022, with all other packaging to be widely recyclable by 2025.

Speaking about the new strategy, Matt Harris, Moy Park head of Packaging said: “We have purposely set ambitious, industry leading targets, in order to deliver real results that can be felt by our customers and ultimately consumers.

“To achieve these targets, we’ll be reducing our reliance on plastics, focusing on innovative new packaging, R&D and delivering accurate, clear recycling messages. We are committed to developing our business sustainability and we are excited to launch this latest campaign as part of our wider environmental commitments.”

The On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) scheme which aims to deliver a simple, consistent and UK-wide recycling message on retailer and brand packaging, has welcomed the announcement.

Chair of OPRL, Jane Bevis said: “Reducing materials use and shifting design to deliver more recyclable packaging are essential in reducing our sector’s environmental impact. We’re thrilled that Moy Park are taking a lead in this, and in engaging consumers in recycling.”