Reducing Plastic Waste

Unpacking Plastic

We’re working hard to reduce plastic at Matalan. By bringing our workstreams together, listening to customer feedback and working closely with suppliers we can continue to make positive changes, and set clear ambitions for the future. We know we can achieve more when we work together.

Driving change across the business

Our cross-business action group, led by our Chief Commercial Officer and our Director of Sourcing and Imports, reports to the board on a monthly basis. Its members include packaging experts, leaders from our distribution centre and retail teams, supplier procurement experts and waste andrecycling managers.

The group’s remit is to be bold and make change happen.

Our Ambition By 2025

70% of plastic packaging can be effectively reused or recycled

Our imported plastic will contain 30% average recycled content

We will provide clear on-pack recycling labels across our product range

Taking it away

Where we can, we’re removing plastic completely. Our packing teams have removed items from our packing benches and small items are now sent out in paper-based packaging, making huge savings.

Simplifying

We’re reducing the range of plastics that we use by simplifying the hangers we use to just two: black for the majority of our garments and white for some of our baby range, which means they can be kept in use for longer.

Giving clear direction

We’re being more specific in our contracts with suppliers about the packaging they use to ship products to us.

Getting expert help

Oversized items use more packaging and we’re working with experts to help make this part of our range more efficient.

Working with experts

We’re conducting ‘deep dive’ surveys across every area of our business to understand the amount and types of plastic we use.

Making small changes

We’re removing plastic cutlery, cups and food trays from our colleague cafes at Head Office and in our Distribution centres.

Testing ideas

We know many of our customers take their hangers home where they may not be used. We’ve started a trial in some of our UK stores where customers are asked to pay a small charge if they want to take their hanger home. This is helps us encourage customers to leave their hanger with us.

PLASTIC HANGER CASE STUDY

DRIVING DOWN OUR USE OF RESOURCES: