New environmentally friendly scheme saves waste biscuit wrappers from landfill whilst raising money for charities.

United Biscuits, the manufacturer of McVitie’s, the UK’s leading biscuit brand, has teamed up with recycling experts TerraCycle UK to launch the McVitie’s Biscuit Wrapper Brigade.  This industry first recycling fundraising scheme is open to every biscuit consumer across the UK and incentivises consumers to save waste biscuit wrappers from landfill to be recycled in return for raising money for the charity of their choice.

Innovative new scheme

Over the last 12 months, 487,000 tonnes of biscuits with a retail value of £2.3 billion were sold in the UK[i][i]. Biscuit wrappers are recyclable, but very little mixed plastic recycling is carried out by local council kerb side collections, which results in billions of biscuit wrappers being sent to landfill.   McVitie’s and TerraCycle have joined together to launch this innovative new scheme that encourages consumers to help end this enormous waste of resources by sending in any brand of used biscuit wrappers to be recycled into everyday products such as watering cans, garden benches and waste bins.

Raising money for charity

The McVitie’s Biscuit Wrapper Brigade is open to consumers across the UK who can get involved for free at www.terracycle.co.uk. Once registered, they can download pre-paid Royal Mail labels which means sending in old wrappers is completely free. All consumers have to do is simply collect any brand of biscuit wrapper, put them in a box or envelope, print the free postage label from the website and then stick it onto the package and post it.  TerraCycle and McVitie’s rewards consumers with TerraCycle points for every biscuit wrapper sent in, with each point redeemable as a 1 pence contribution to the charity of the senders’ choice.

Making a difference

Vicki Gregory, Marketing Controller for McVitie’s, comments: “United Biscuit’s is delighted  to be able to offer consumers a solution that allows them, for the first time in the UK, to recycle biscuit wrappers.  This innovative scheme not only ensures that biscuit wrappers are reused, it also helps to protect the environment whilst helping the public to raise money for their favourite charity.

“We are encouraging consumers and retailers across the UK, who love biscuits, to set up a collection point and help us to save as many biscuit wrappers from landfill as possible, making a difference to their local environment whilst raising money for worthy causes.”

Chris Baker, General Manager of TerraCycle UK added:  “We are delighted that such an iconic brand as McVitie’s is partnering with us to take ownership of what happens to used biscuit wrappers in the UK.  With McVitie’s support we are confident that we can reach people across the UK and encourage them to work with us to make a real difference by saving as many biscuit wrappers from landfill as possible!”