M&S has unveiled its new widely recyclable vine tomato packaging with 95% less plastic, as it looks to remove eight million units of plastic by the end of 2022.
The new design comes as the retailer looks to make 100% of its food packaging widely recyclable by 2025.
Replacing the previous hard to recycle plastic sleeve, the new packaging will see the piccolo, pomodolci and capella tomato varieties preserved in recyclable cardboard with a small amount of plastic film.
Inspired by traditional sandwich packaging, the updated design developed with Leicester-based company, The Reflex Packaging Group is currently available across all M&S stores and via Ocado.
Following recent data by M&S which revealed 88% of those surveyed agreed supermarkets should use recyclable packaging where possible, the new cardboard packing can be disposed of in a household recycling bin.
READ MORE: M&S acquires Gist to accelerate its food supply chain transformation
“At M&S we know our customers are deeply concerned about the environment and rightly expect us to make our products as sustainable as possible,” M&S Food technical director, Andrew Clappen said.
“That’s why we’re exploring recyclable packaging alternatives for our products, which also help us to meet our plastic reduction targets.
“We want our customers to shop with confidence knowing that the trusted value M&S is famous for means not only delicious, great value and quality produce but a more sustainable choice.”
This news comes as M&S announced its trial launch of refillable own-brand cleaning and laundry products in June.
The trial, as well as its change in food packaging fall within the retailer’s plans to remove 1bn units of plastic food packaging by 2027 and offer customers more sustainable options.
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