Today (Wednesday 20th June) ASDA will become the first UK supermarket to exclusively stock a new range of environmentally friendly CDs - giving customers the option of buying more than 84,000 best selling classics in fully compostable packaging. 

The new 'Ecopac' range, which is manufactured by Universal Music and made from 100% recycled and recyclable paper-foam, will launch at all of ASDA's 336 stores this week, just 6 months after it debuted in the stores of parent company Wal-Mart - selling more than 2 million copies to date. 

The new packaging is available on 42 titles, ranging from Marilyn Manson to Marvin Gaye and can be recycled along with newspapers and magazines or discarded with other household rubbish.  In addition, no booklets will be included in the packaging; instead, these will be available to customers directly from the Universal Music website.  

The move follows ASDA research which suggests that up to 25 per cent of all plastic music CD covers are thrown away within 12 months of purchase and, with festivals such as Glastonbury and Live Earth looming, the packaging will provide eco-conscious customers with a sustainable alternative. 

Andy Powell, ASDA's music buyer, said, "Making our CD boxes compostable will strike the right note with music lovers, while saving the earth's resources. Pop pickers are used to bands recycling hits, now we're recycling the cases as well." 

Andy added, "As well as being the right thing to do, we believe our new policy will be music to customers' ears since many music fans are at the forefront of conservation and environmentalism."  

ASDA's research also crowns Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody as the hit customers would most like to recycle. Imagine by John Lennon was close behind, with the third place going to Dancing Queen by ABBA. 

In contrast, ASDA customers voted 'Agadoo' by Black Lace the song they'd least like to recycle, alongside Crazy Frog's Axel F and The Cheeky Girls' 'Touch my Bum' record.