Bakers Basco Warn Of Stolen Bread Delivery Baskets

Bakers Basco Urges Plastic Recyclers To Be Wary Of Stolen Bread Delivery Baskets In Efforts To Build Circular Economy

Bakers Basco is issuing an urgent appeal to plastic recyclers to be aware and report any missing bread baskets and dollies that can be recovered by its teams, as part of an ongoing effort to build a circular economy for plastics.

Bakers Basco is a national membership scheme set up by five of the UK’s biggest bakeries – Allied Bakeries, Hovis, Fine Lady Bakeries, Frank Roberts & Sons and Warburtons, who represent more than 55% of the bakery market in the UK – to manage and police the industry standard Omega bread basket used for transporting bread up and down the country.

The company’s original mission was to design, source and manage an industry-standard bread basket for the bakery industry, allowing for significant cost savings in terms of the design, raw material procurement and production of both the basket and dolly.

This equipment plays a vital role in the supply chain to ensure the continuous daily supply of bread and associated products from bakeries to supermarket shop floors across the UK. Yet it is often taken unlawfully and used by companies without permission, which cause massive disruption to the supply chain and the day-to-day running of operations.

As part of a wider national campaign to educate those who might come across these baskets or dollies, be using them without permission or accidently handling them, Bakers Basco is engaging with the British Plastics Federation and other associations across the UK to raise awareness of the ongoing problem of misplaced baskets, which continues to impact the bakery sector, and indeed, the sustainable credentials of other sectors.

Bakers Basco’s Omega baskets are made from sturdy polypropylene, which is meant to be reusable for up to eight years. The baskets are categorised as ‘Reusable Transit Packaging’ – packaging which is designed to protect goods in transit, and which is meant to be reused, again and again, not thrown away after one trip.

To track down and reclaim any missing equipment that gets diverted out of the supply chain, Bakers Basco has introduced various initiatives including glitter additives and GPS tracking technology. Its national investigations team locates misappropriated equipment and uses negotiation, education, collection and, where necessary, legal enforcement to reclaim the company’s assets and recover financial losses. But that alone isn’t enough.

Bakers Basco’s general manager, Paul Empson comments: “When used responsibly, our baskets and dollies should last beyond eight years. Only when they have reached the end of their useful life are they recycled, with each piece of kit recycled potentially 400 times during its life span. But all too often misplaced baskets often end up in landfill or in the hands of unscrupulous recyclers who will chip the plastic and sell it on. This does nothing for the green credentials of the plastics industry or the environment in general.

“We need to ensure that the equipment returns to the supply chain and reduces the need to produce more plastic for the baskets and dollies – but we need your help and urge plastic recyclers to be diligent that you aren’t accidently buying large chunks of plastic materials without an audit trail.”

Attention: These baskets belong to Bakers Basco, who are more than willing to arrange collections for free. If found, please report immediately to the owners on their recovery helpline on 08000 327323 or E-mail: [email protected].