Lidl says it will remove black plastic from its fruit and vegetable range by the end of the month.

The supermarket says the move will save around 50 tonnes of black plastic waste a year – the material is not recyclable in the UK, as it cannot be detected by automated sorting systems.

The company also plans to remove black plastic from its fresh meat, fish and poultry range in the middle of next year, swapping it for recyclable, reusable and refillable packaging.

Ryan McDonnell, Lidl’s Commercial Board Director, said: “The significant move away from black plastic demonstrates our dedication to tackling this important topic.”

Lidl Ireland has committed to installing electric vehicle (EV) charging points at all of its new supermarkets and refurbishment projects.