Sainsbury's has recently been piloting recycling units and will spend£5 million rolling them out at 347 outlets nationwide.
Other initiatives include replacing existing PVC packaging with compostable alternatives, reducing carbon emissions from stores and cutting the volume of waste sent to landfill sites.
The initiative follows a speech last week by Tesco chief executive Terry Leahy, in which he laid out the group's plans to spend£100 million on exploring sustainable energy for its stores.
In the 10-point Community Plan, Leahy said Tesco was committed to being 'a positive part of local communities' by halving energy use, doubling recycling and helping local producers.
Sainsbury's said it is already running energy efficiency projects at 14 sites and won an award earlier this year for its work in reducing carbon emissions. The group opened its first green store powered by wind turbines in Greenwich, southeast London, in 1999. At present, the retailer has four stores and one depot powered by turbines.
The big four supermarkets are thought to be eager to show off their environmental credentials as they are targeted by environmental campaigners.
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