Marks and Spencer has launched its new sustainability plan, Plan A 2025, making a range of sustainability commitments including ensuring all packaging is ‘widely recyclable’ by 2022 and planning to halve food waste by 2025.

BSI has launched the world’s first circular economy standard, BS 8001, to aid businesses and organizations of all sizes in the transition to a circular economy.

Sainsbury’s has announced that it intends to rollout its ‘Waste less, Save more’ programme across the UK, investing funds in education and innovative initiatives to combat food waste.

Zero Waste Scotland has launched a Litter Knowledge Network to spread advice, expertise and support on litter prevention.

Former European Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik and Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson Baroness Parminter have been confirmed as the keynote speakers at June’s Resourcing the Future conference.

McDonald’s has come under fire from Zero Waste France for its recycling and waste management methods, with the group also calling for a transformation in how fast food chains manage and report their waste.

The Co-op has announced plans to move to 100 per cent recyclable plastic packaging for its own-brand products after a motion was passed unanimously at its AGM.

Marks & Spencer has announced it plans to include chilled food in its nationwide food redistribution scheme as part of its ‘Plan A’ target to reduce food waste by 20 per cent by 2020.

The Liberal Democrats have promised to support the transition to a circular economy, pledging to introduce a Zero-Waste Act and a 70 per cent statutory waste recycling target for England in their manifesto.

A global coalition of retailers, producers, industry initiatives and cotton standards have come together from across the cotton supply chain to push sustainable cotton into the mainstream.