Highland Spring trials UK's first 100% recycled bottle

The new Highland Spring bottle is 100% recycled plastic

Highland Spring is to become the first UK water brand to introduce a 100% recycled bottle.

The Scottish drinks company is trialling the new plastic bottles in a bid to cut ocean pollution.

The 500ml "eco bottle" will be sold in selected supermarkets in Scotland and England from this month.

The bottle will be clearly labelled to differentiate it from other plastic bottles and consumers will be invited to give feedback online or in stores.

Highland Spring, which is based in Blackford in Perth and Kinross, will assess customers' perceptions of recycled plastics and reaction to a 100% recycled container.

The firm believes it is a first for the UK bottled water market.

'Ethical dilemma'

Highland Spring chief executive Les Montgomery said: "Plastic is a valuable resource that shouldn't be treated as waste and we encourage everyone to get involved in this trial.

"This is a significant step that is part of a longer-term road map to eliminating plastic waste as more and more consumers recycle their plastic bottles and we can source recycled plastic in the quantities and quality we need."

Earlier this year the Co-op supermarket announced plans to switch all of its own-brand water to 50% recycled plastic bottles, but said it expected the move would present an "ethical dilemma" to customers.

The new bottles, which are 100% recyclable and sourced in the UK, will have a cloudier and greyer appearance than those that do not contain recycled plastic and the Co-op said it accepted they could test shoppers' environmentally-conscious credentials.