Fury as Sainsbury’s quietly axes all of its recycling bins at around 250 stores across the UK – fanning fears the move could fuel more bank ‘fly-tippers’

• Locals have been expressing their disappointment on social media
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Sainsbury’s is quietly getting rid of all of its remaining recycling points at around 250 branches around the UK fanning fears the move could lead to more fly-tipping. 

The supermarket has been closing centres which recycle metal cans, glass, plastic, paper and other materials based around its car parks.

It comes two years after Sainsbury’s was one of the main sponsors of the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow and despite please from locals and politicians for the service to remain. 

Sainsbury’s has not made any announcement about the closures, reported by the Times. 

The supermarket’s website says: ‘We care about our planet and the effect that both we, and our global suppliers, have on the environment. One of our core values is respect for our environment.’

Locals have been expressing their disappointment, with several saying that the removal of recycling banks has led to more flytipping, leaving sites an eyesore. 

This reportedly shows fly tipping in the car park behind a Sainsbury’s store

Recycling dumped beside overflown bins behind a Sainsbury’s in Muirend, Glasgow

Sainsbury’s is quietly getting rid of all of its remaining recycling points at around 250 branches around the UK fanning fears the move could lead to more fly-tipping

‘So gutted to read on a notice on the glass recycling facility that they will no longer be providing this service,’ one speaking about the Liphook centre said. 

Others shared photos of fly tipping with bags of recyclables strewn carelessly. 

‘So much for environmental concern,’ one wrote on X, formerly Twitter, describing the move as ‘shocking’. 

‘This move not only places more reliance on kerbside recycling but also reduces the opportunity for those who may not have kerbside recycling services, such as residents in flats,’ said Daniel Webb, founder of the campaign group Everyday Plastic, added. 

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We want to focus on the areas where we can make the biggest difference and support our customers in their efforts to help the planet. 

‘As recycling of materials such as glass and cardboard is available from home with local councils, we’re prioritising services at our stores that people cannot get elsewhere. 

‘For example, all our supermarkets offer flexible plastic recycling.’ 

Locals have been disappointed to hear the news, especially in light of the supermarket’s care for the environment

Read more: How councils are setting up cameras and issuing fines to stop people leaving items NEXT to recycling bins despite claims from locals that they are always full 

They said that in all Sainsbury’s supermarkets, customers can recycle flexible plastic packaging – including crisp packets, food pouches, salad bags, biscuit, and cake wrappers, as well as carrier bags, clothes hangers and batteries.

The supermarket said they donate around 5,000 tonnes of clothing every year through Oxfam donation banks located in over 340 store car parks.

And recently they launched cardboard hangers for Tu baby clothing so customers can recycle their hangers at home. 

Other supermarkets which offer recycling services at some stores include Asda, Tesco, Aldi and Morrisons. 

This comes after councils clamping down on recycling bank ‘fly-tippers’ ignited outrage after installing spy cameras to catch people leaving bags of items next to the bins – despite residents’ claims that they are always full.

Local authorities have set up surveillance cameras – some with hi-tech number plate-recognition software – and issued fines to people caught leaving items of donated clothing and recycling by the bins. 

Cash-strapped civic chiefs insist their efforts are about clearing up the streets and tackling the ‘horrifying’ hotspots where rubbish ‘blights’ their community, costing councils nationally an estimated £60million a year. 

But furious taxpayers have lashed out at the move, branding it ‘cynical’ and ‘scandalous’, amid claims some recycling bins are ‘always full and never emptied’. 

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