New icons placed on Morrisons products to encourage customers to recycle more

The scheme will feature on around 400 lines which account for more than 500 million items sold by the supermarket chain every year.

It is hoped that by using two clear front-of-pack icons, it will make it easier for customers to recycle the packaging can be recycled at home or at store.

A 'Please Recycle Me' icon means that the packaging can be recycled at home whereas 'Recycle Me In Store' features on bags for items such as bread, potatoes and toilet roll - all of which can't be widely recycled at kerbside.

On the back of packaging there will also be a detailed description of all the components used and will clarify where they can be disposed of appropriately.

The new recycling bins at Morrisons (Picture: Fabio De Paola/PA Wire)

Morrisons is the first supermarket to also invite customers to bring recyclable plastic packaging back to all stores and will have large recycling bins at the front of all of its stores which will accept all recyclable plastic bags, films and wraps.

This plastic will then be used to turn it into recyclable carrier bags and bin bags – in a ‘closed loop’ system.

Packaging manager at Morrisons Natasha Cook said: “Our customers tell us they want us to reduce packaging, and where we can't remove it they want to recycle it.

"So we are putting clear icons on the front of 400 popular purchases - and inviting customers to bring back packaging they can't recycle at home.

"The new clear 'at a glance' labels on the back of our packaging is also designed to help our customers recycle – whether pots, tubs, trays, bags, film, bottles or glass.”