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A new label has been launched by leading retailers to provide consumers with standardised information as to whether an item's packaging can be recycled.

More than one third of Britain's retailers, including Boots, Waitrose and Marks and Spencer, and suppliers, such as Kellogg's, Britvic Soft Drinks and HJ Heinz, have already signed up for the label scheme.

The new on-pack recycling label will have three categories. Items will be labelled 'Widely recycled', 'check local recycling' or 'not currently recycled'. However, much will depend on the recycling policy of local authorities.

Packaging is 'widely recycled' if more than 65 per cent of local authorities collect (and recycle) it while consumers are asked to 'check local recycling' if between 15 per cent and 65 per cent of local authorities collect that packaging. Packaging is deemed 'not currently recycled' if less than 15 per cent of local authorities collect it.

The Waste & Resource Action Programme (WRAP) will monitor changes in local authorities' recycling capabilities that will determine the category each product falls into.

The scheme, which will be operated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) under the aegis of new company OPRL (On-pack recycling label).

Stephen Robertson, director general of the BRC, said: 'Retailers are taking the lead in developing this new label because they recognise they're uniquely placed to work with customers and change behaviour.'

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