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April 6, 2009 - Tesco is enrolling customers in its efforts to streamline product packaging, inviting them to remove what they deem unnecessary packing materials from their purchases.

The in-store trial, which kicked off April 1 at two U.K. stores, allows customers to leave excess plastic and paper food packaging behind after checkout. The six-week pilot is part of a wider research project that could influence the retailer's packaging strategy going forward, Tesco says.

"We know that our customers want us to continue to reduce packaging. At the same time, we need to make sure that we are preventing unnecessary food waste," says Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Tesco's head of corporate affairs. "We are looking to find the least amount of packaging necessary and this trial will help us to establish customers' views."

"We know our customers expect us to help them recycle easily and we have also committed ourselves to cutting our own waste," adds Alasdair James, head of energy, waste and recycling at Tesco. "This unique pilot helps us do both. Packaging left by customers at the store will tell us a lot about areas we may need to look at again as well as where we have got it right."

Tesco has pledged to make it easier for customers to buy green. The retailer cut plastic bag use dramatically last year by offering customer incentives, instead of charging for disposable bags. In April 2008, it began posting carbon labels on select store products. (Tesco has since expanded the program.)