Morrisons trials plastic bottle return vending machines

The machines are being trialled in two stores for six months

Morrisons is trialling vending machines at some of its stores to allow shoppers to recycle single-use plastic bottles.

Customers can deposit a maximum of 20 bottles a day and in return will receive points to be spent in store.

The machines are being trialled for six months at branches in Skipton, North Yorkshire and Lindsayfield in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire.

The Bradford-based chain said it wanted to reduce its impact on the environment.

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The machines will accept all plastic bottles that have a barcode and Morrisons own-branded bottles that do not have one.

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The scheme follows a number of moves by Morrisons to reduce customers' use of plastic, including the reintroduction of brown paper bags for loose fruit and vegetables and allowing shoppers to use their own containers for meat and fish.

Julie Kirby, from Friends of the Earth, said the move was a "welcome initiative" but supermarkets needed to do more to reduce plastics use if they wanted to be greener.

"Ultimately we need to phase out all but the most essential plastics if we are to end the scourge of plastic pollution that's damaging our wildlife."