The agreement, organised by Government-backed waste charity Wrap, is a world-leading collaborative effort by Britain's biggest consumer companies to tackle the scourge of plastic waste on the environment.

It means single-use plastics will only be allowed if they are deemed absolutely necessary and are made from recyclable materials. 

Non-recyclable plastics including single-use 5p carrier bags, squeezy ketchup bottles, snap pots of yoghurt, and multi-bags of fruit and vegetables, could all be banned if they cannot be made recyclable. 

It comes after Theresa May's recent commitment for the UK to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042 was accused of "lacking urgency" by environmental groups. 

More than 40 firms have promised that all the plastic packaging they produce will be reusable, recyclable or compostable within seven years, while two thirds will be recycled or composted, up from 45 per cent today.

The movement's success will depend heavily on consumers successfully increasing the amount of plastic the recycle at home, however.

To ensure this happens Wrap is planning a major public awareness campaign later this year.  Recycling units across the UK have also signed the pledge and will start recycling a wider variety of plastics which currently go to landfill. 

Over the next seven years supermarkets will stop using "unnecessary" plastic packaging, such as multi-packs of fruit and vegetables, which are expected to be ditched in favour of loose. 

Read the full article here https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/25/supermarkets-agree-ban-unnecessary-single-use-plastic-packaging/