New Spitalfields Market, East London

Managing Waste for New Spitalfields Market

How Countrystyle helped the UK’s largest wholesale fruit and vegetable market achieve 100% recycling and recovery.

The Challenge

New Spitalfields Market is the UK’s largest wholesale fruit and vegetable market, home to over 140 tenants across 32 acres. Operating under a Royal Charter since 1682, the market has been based at its purpose-built site in Leyton, East London since 1991.

In 2010, Countrystyle began working with the market as its waste and recycling partner. Tenants wanted to increase recycling on site to reduce waste collection and treatment costs, while improving sustainability credentials.

The Solution

With tenants stocking almost every type of fruit and vegetable, food waste was the biggest challenge, alongside wood from pallets and plastic and cardboard packaging. The sheer volume of waste required a clear, efficient system.

Countrystyle introduced waste segregation initiatives at the on-site recycling area with dedicated containers for:

  • Food Waste

  • Plastic

  • Cardboard

  • General Waste

  • Wood

To make segregation simple, we added clear signage, information packs and waste specification stickers, ensuring tenants could follow the process easily.

Countrystyle have helped us to attain 100% landfill diversion, they have also been an instrumental partner in ensuring that Floplast are up to speed with all current innovations and regulations.

- Floplast

Countrystyle supports CCCU in areas such as proactive waste solutions, changing legislation and best practice, zero to landfill, aiding in increasing recycling rates, as well as providing documentation required for our commitment to ISO14001 and our Platinum Campus sustainability recognition.

- Canterbury Christ Church

The Mall and Countrystyle Recycling share a long-standing partnership built on trust and sustainability. Together, we provide reliable, eco-friendly solutions, reflecting our commitment to excellence, environmental responsibility, and lasting relationships in every project.

- The Mall, Maidstone

Value Delivered

Following the success of the system, Countrystyle was awarded the full site contract in 2017. The new agreement focused on site cleanliness, health and safety, and the principle of “waste polluter pays”.

We also supported local employment by recruiting workers from inner London boroughs, prioritising those from vulnerable or at-risk groups.

Countrystyle were responsible for managing the cleaning, waste collection, segregation, recycling and ground maintenance for the entire site. Spitalfields achieved a consistent 100% recycling and recovery rate, significantly improving its landfill diversion and sustainability performance.

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