Waitrose to bin plastic straws by end of April

The retailer will swap the 600,000 straws it gives out each year to a home compostable material

Waitrose has pledged to phase out all plastic straws in its cafes from the end of April 2018.

The retailer says this will involve swapping the 600,000 straws it gives out each year to a home compostable material which is Forest Stewardship Council certified.

The supermarket has already announced that it will not sell packs of single-use plastic straws from September 2018.

All Waitrose cafes currently offer non-plastic crockery and all drinks stirrers are already made out of wood.

Tor Harris, Head of Sustainability and Responsible Sourcing at Waitrose, said: “Phasing out single-use plastic straws in our cafes and on shelves shows how seriously we are taking their impact on the environment.

“Plastic straws may seem insignificant but their impact on wildlife can be devastating. We hope this step will make a positive contribution to our environment.”

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