Apetito invests in dedicated sorting facility for ‘Project Boomerang’

Building on the success of its closed loop recycling scheme for meal trays, Apetito has further advanced its programme through investing in a dedicated sorting facility – increasing operational capacity and supporting the scheme’s continued expansion across its customer base.

The business has recycled over 40 million trays nationwide since it began in 2021. ‘Project Boomerang’ involves Apetito collecting back its washed, used PET meal trays directly from customers and sending them to a specialist recycling facility in the UK.

Apetito guarantees that 100% of the collected trays are recycled into brand new trays which are then distributed back to the company for use, ensuring a closed loop system and generating better results than household recycling.

Lee Sheppard, director of corporate affairs, policy and sustainability, said: “We have seen continued growth and success in ‘Project Boomerang’ since its inception and are extremely proud of the progress made to date. Opening this site gives us the opportunity to really drive forward this scheme and increase the volume of trays that we’re recycling from our customers, whilst continuing to reduce our carbon footprint.

“We are delighted that the Government listened to industry and announced the offset for closed loop recycling systems within the EPR legislation, demonstrating its support for such schemes that align closely with its ambition to restore and enhance the environment for future generations. This support encourages us to continue building on our pioneering initiative and taking steps that we know are the right thing to do for the planet.

“Investing in this facility marks a pivotal step in this expansion and demonstrates our strong commitment to leading the way in sustainable business practice and innovation - moving towards a more circular economy on our journey to reaching Net Zero."