Tesco is launching the UK’s first tubeless kitchen foil to save 12.5m cardboard rolls from needing to be produced each year.
The coreless aluminium foil will roll out to stores this week, helping the supermarket giant to build on its commitment to cut down on unnecessary packaging and save 330 tonnes of cardboard each year.
The re-designed product is made using a new machine that allows the foil to be rolled tightly around a spindle that has air vents in it.
By pumping air into these vents, the aluminium foil can be gently released.
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Tesco technical manager Bronwen Williams said: “This new machine has revolutionised foil production, saving hundreds of tonnes of cardboard from needlessly being made in the first place.
“We are continually looking at ways in which we can cut down on packaging in order to help the environment and hope, after starting with our top selling kitchen foil line, that we will be able to apply this to the rest of our foil range.”
The move forms part of Tesco’s 4Rs packaging strategy to tackle the impact of packaging waste, which, since 2020, has seen it reduce packaging by more than 4,500 tonnes.
Last week, Tesco launched a new range of toilet roll and kitchen towel made from recycled cardboard and recycled pulp from home delivery boxes and corrugated card.
The pulp production process uses less water, chemicals and energy compared to using traditional tree fibre as the raw material.
