Walkers has announced that its Crisp Packet Recycling Scheme will close on 25th April 2022.

The company says the scheme, which was launched in 2018 in partnership with TerraCycle, has helped recycle millions of crisp packets within the UK, using their plastic to produce plant pots and benches, as well as part of a community football pitch in Leicester.

According to Walkers, there are now more than 3,500 flexible plastic collection points located at local supermarkets across the country. As these schemes collect all types of flexible plastics for recycling, Walkers said that “it is no longer necessary to single out crisp packets.”

“Paving the way”

Archana Jagannathan, senior director sustainability at parent company PepsiCo Europe, said: “Every collector has helped encourage more and more people to recycle, paving the way for bigger and better front-of-store recycling schemes for flexible plastics. Our scheme was always intended to be a short-term solution and we continue to invest in other initiatives which support progress towards kerbside recycling.”

Last month, PepsiCo announced that it aims to eliminate virgin fossil-based plastic in all of its crisp and snack bags by 2030, by using 100% recycled or renewable content in all packets. New crisp packets containing recycled content are due to be trialled in the UK on a new Walkers crisps range later this year.

Jagannathan added: “Good progress has been made but the ultimate goal is for recycling flexible plastics to be as easy as recycling paper, card and tins – and the solution is household collection.

“We’re urging the government to introduce this as soon as possible. Collecting flexibles as part of regular local authority household collection schemes is the best way to get more households involved and get more flexible plastic recycled.”

A Walkers spokesperson said: “Walkers continues to invest in a number of ways to create a more circular economy for packaging, including:

• Supporting the Flexible Plastic Fund alongside other household brands and major retailers, to create a viable system for flexible plastic recycling.
• Investing in redesigning our crisp packets to ensure they are easier to recycle. We are working with OPRL on new labels we can use on our packs, encouraging people to recycle in-store.”