A supermarket giant has launched a new scheme aimed at cutting down the amount of plastic it uses.

Tesco will sell 45 types of fruit and veg loosely – and will be piloting the scheme in its stores in Watford (Extra, Waterfields) and Swindon.

Customers will see fruit and veg including varieties of apples, mushrooms, peppers, onions, bananas and avocados free from their packaging.

It is a part of Tesco’s commitments to reduce the amount of packaging in its stores and ensure any remaining plastic has a clear purpose and is recyclable.

The retailer will be surveying shoppers in the stores to help understand the reaction to the trial. It will also be closely monitoring each of the included products to see if there is an increase in food waste.

The scheme came into effect today and will last a month.

Tesco’s Director of Quality Sarah Bradbury said: “We want to remove as much plastic as we can from our products, only using what is necessary to protect and preserve our food.

“We hope this trial proves popular with customers. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the results, including any impact on food waste.

“Whatever happens, we’re going to keep reducing the amount of packaging we use and ensure everything on our shelves is fully recyclable.”