Sainsbury’s Overhauls Bakery Packaging to Tackle Plastic Waste
In a bold move towards sustainability, supermarket giant Sainsbury’s has significantly revamped the packaging of its in-store bakery products.
The retailer has made these changes as part of a wider initiative to reduce plastic waste, which it claims will save 560 tonnes of plastic annually. This decision will affect nearly 40 of Sainsbury’s own-brand baked goods, including popular items such as doughnuts, pastries, croissants, and loaves of bread.
The most significant change is the transition from plastic clam-shell packaging to cardboard and paper-based alternatives for its doughnuts and pastries. The doughnuts will now be sold in card boxes with a small plastic window, while pastries like croissants and cinnamon swirls will be packaged in paper bags.
These alterations alone are expected to reduce plastic use by 414 tonnes annually. The new packaging design includes a 90% reduction in plastic, providing a more eco-friendly solution that aligns with Sainsbury’s sustainability goals.
Additionally, Sainsbury’s is removing plastic bags from its loaves, baguettes, and batons, replacing them with recyclable paper bags featuring a small plastic window. This change, aimed at reducing plastic packaging by up to 60%, is set to save another 152 tonnes of plastic each year.
What’s more, the plastic window can be separated from the bag or box and recycled at any Sainsbury’s store, while the paper and card elements can be recycled via kerbside recycling collections.
This overhaul in packaging comes hot on the heels of Sainsbury’s decision to eliminate plastic from its mushroom packaging, an initiative that saves 775 tonnes of plastic annually. The supermarket was also the first UK retailer to switch all kitchen and toilet roll packaging from plastic to paper, reducing plastic waste by a further 485 tonnes per year.
Sainsbury’s Director of Product and Innovation expressed the company’s commitment to offering more sustainable choices across its own-brand products. They emphasised that with the 90% plastic reduction on pastries and the 60% reduction on bread, Sainsbury’s is actively helping customers make greener choices and recycle more efficiently.
In summary, Sainsbury’s bakery packaging overhaul is a significant step forward in the retailer’s ongoing efforts to reduce plastic waste.
With more sustainable packaging and easier recycling options for customers, Sainsbury’s continues to lead the way in environmental responsibility, setting a strong example for the supermarket industry.
News Credits: Sainsbury’s to save 560 tonnes of plastic a year with new bakery packaging
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