OPRL Celebrates 100 PerCenters' Perfection
Four OPRL members achieved perfect 100 per cent scores for coverage and correct usage of the recycling label this summer, ensuring their customers get the information they need to recycle packaging correctly. They have all been awarded 100 PerCenter status for their successful categories as follows:
- Aldi for 1. Ambient Foods, and 2. Petfoods
- Asda for 1. Frozen Foods
- Bart Ingredients for 1. Ambient Foods
- The Co-operative for 1. Bakery, and 2. Petfoods
Jane Bevis, Chair of OPRL said "This is a significant achievement by each of these members. Not only have they ensured our on-pack recycling label is on every product line within the category checked in their recent compliance audit, they've also used the label
correctly in all cases. Congratulations to all the category managers who've worked so hard to achieve this."
"We undertake rigorous compliance audits on members to ensure the label is being used correctly as part of our quality assurance measures. So far this year we've checked over 6,300 products. This ensures that consumers are getting the information they need to
make the right decision when disposing of packaging. Our customer insight research shows almost three quarters of consumers do the right thing when given the right information via our label. That's essential if the UK is to meet its 50 per cent recycling target."
Notes to Editors
1) The UK-wide On-Pack Recycling Label scheme is operated by OPRL Ltd.
2) The label, which replaced the potentially confusing range of symbols previously used, has three categories which tell consumers how likely it is that their local authority will accept specific packaging materials for recycling. The categories are:
- Widely recycled (75% or more of UK local authorities collect that type of packaging).
- Check local recycling (between 20% and 75% of UK local authorities collect that type of packaging).
- Not currently recycled (fewer than 20% of UK local authorities collect that type of packaging).
3) OPRL's consumer recognition and response figures are taken from an on-line survey of 2,000 UK residents in March 2014. This showed 62 per cent, or 6 in 10 consumers, recognised the label. The Widely Recycled label led to 70 per cent automatically recycling packaging while 72 per cent put Not Currently Recycled labelled packaging into the waste bin.
4) OPRL's compliance auditing is undertaken by Ricardo-AEA with enforcement action managed by WRAP. On average OPRL members now apply the label to 75 per cent of their product lines.
5) OPRL was awarded Bronze at the Zero Waste Awards on 9 April 2015 and was Highly Commended in the Retailer/Service Sector Recycler of the Year category of the National Recycling Awards on 1 July 2015.
6) Further information at: www.oprl.org.uk
