How to Recycle Our Dog and Cat Food Pouches

At The Pets Larder, we want to ensure that every pet owner has access to the freshest all-natural food, treats and chews, for their four-legged friends, that money can buy. 

We also want to ensure we are doing everything we can to help keep the carbon footprint of our company and our customers as small as possible. 

However, sometimes this can be tricky as the two are not always mutually inclusive. 

When it comes to recycling many of the tins, boxes and bags that our all-natural pet foods come in they are easily recycled at home, with nearly all local recycling pick-ups allowing for tin, paper and cardboard. That being said, there are some more difficult packaging options, such as the pet food pouch, that can pose a bit more of a problem for those of us that wish to discard with downgrading our environmental ethics!

The best way to reduce our environmental impacts as pet owners would be to avoid these pouches, but in many cases ensuring the freshest foods for your cat or dog is simply not possible without them. Many pet food manufacturers are looking for new ways to keep foods and treats fresh without the need for these difficult-to-recycle packaging, but, in the meantime, we need to make sure we are disposing of them responsibly.

Thankfully there are now a number of ways that these pesky pouches can be recycled and we are here to let you know exactly how it can be done, so your pet can have the foods and treats they need without you having to renege on your eco credentials!

How to Recycle Your Pet Food Pouches

Pet food pouches are tricky to recycle given their layered makeup. The layers of foil and plastics are difficult to separate and therefore require special procedures to enable them to be recycled. This is the main reason that your local home recycling does not take them. 

Thankfully, as we alluded to above, there are now quite a few ways in which it is possible to recycle our pet food pouches so we can stay eco-conscious without changing our pet's favourite food.

Supermarket Recycling Points for Pet Food Pouches

The easiest way for most of us to recycle these pet food pouches is by using a local recycling facility. Many of the large supermarkets now offer these including, Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, Aldi, M&S, and Co-Op. Your local recycling facility can easily be found by using the handy search tool at www.recyclenow.com. Within 25 miles of our home base in Hayle, Cornwall there were nearly 30 separate recycling points and that's in Cornwall!! 

You can also take your used pouches to any of the 320 branches of one of the major pet stores in the UK too. 

Terracycle for Pet Food Pouch Recycling

If you aren't able to get to one of these local recycling facilities you might want to opt for something you can do in your own home. Companies like Terracycle offer boxes that can be filled at home which you can then arrange for to be picked up and sent to their specialist recycling facility. This is a great idea for those who might struggle to get to a supermarket but do come with a hefty price tag. 

Perhaps you could set up a community pick-up and ask a friend or community member who uses a major supermarket to drop them off when they are able, to reduce costs. 

Our Favourite Recyclable Pet Treat Pouches

We have recently given some of our own brands' treat pouches a make-over and they are now supplied to you in handy resealable pouches that are able to be recycled in the ways we have stated above. 

Our Cornish Fish Cubes, Cornish Fish Fingers, Salmon & Potato Cookies, Whitefish & Potato Cookies, Sweet Potato Chunks and Sweet Potato Fries are available in these nifty packets that are perfectly pocket-sized for when you’re on the go and readily recyclable when your dog has made their way through the tasty tidbits inside.

These tremendous treats are also made with the ethos that is central to everything we sell here, at The Pets Larder. They are all made with the best all-natural ingredients, piles of nutrition, no nasty additives or flavourings and dollops of fabulous flavour in every bite. Each and every one of our The Pets Larder brand treats are also completely grain-free and made with a super simple ingredients list (often with just one perfect dog-friendly element) making them perfect for those dogs with sensitive tums or allergies.

So if your pet is partial to something decidedly delicious that comes in a pet food pouch, don't diminish your eco credentials and use one of the recycling options we have outlined above and get rid of them responsibly without having to lump for the landfill.