UK – British multinational retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has launched paper packaging for garlic baguettes, becoming the first UK retailer to do so.
This initiative is expected to eliminate 5.5 million plastic units annually. The new packaging for M&S’s single and twin garlic baguettes is made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-approved, easily recyclable paper.
The single garlic baguette product alone accounts for 4.3 million unit sales annually.
This move is part of M&S’s broader efforts to reduce plastic packaging. Earlier this year, the retailer introduced a fully recyclable paper fiber coffee cup and lid, replaced plastic bags with paper bands on banana bunches, and transitioned key produce lines to cardboard packaging.
M&S recently announced that it had surpassed its target of removing 75 million units of plastic by the end of 2023-24, achieving this goal four months ahead of schedule.
The company is committed to eliminating one billion plastic units by 2027, as part of its Plan A roadmap to achieve net zero by 2040.
M&S Food Sustainability Head Lucinda Langton stated, “We know our customers rank packaging as a top priority, and M&S is committed to reducing plastic packaging as a key part of our Plan A roadmap to net zero.
“Removing 5.5 million units from our supply chain is a good step forward, and we will continue to work with our suppliers to find innovative new materials, processes, and equipment so we can make change at scale. These changes mean our customers can trust that the M&S quality products they love are made, sourced, and packaged with care.”
Tesco to create NHS gardens from recycled plastic
Meanwhile, Tesco has partnered with Veolia to transform soft plastics collected from customers into outdoor furniture and garden equipment for NHS health centres.
The process will turn difficult-to-recycle soft plastics—such as bread bags, yogurt tops, and crisp packets—into items like benches, decking, tables, and raised beds.
The charity Groundwork, in partnership with NHS Property Services and Veolia, will coordinate the program, which will create gardens nationwide in community locations.
Each garden will feature furniture and equipment made entirely from hundreds of thousands of pieces of soft plastic returned to Tesco stores by customers. A single bench requires 2,500 pieces of soft plastic to create.
Tony McElroy, Tesco’s Head of Campaigns, said, “It’s fantastic to see the soft plastic that our customers are returning being turned into something new that will benefit communities and help give young people a stronger start in life.
“It’s still our absolute priority to remove and reduce as much plastic as possible and ensure everything we use is recycled and kept out of the environment.”
Dr. Min Rodriguez, Head of Social Impact at NHSPS, added, “We are really proud of our social prescribing sites’ impact on individuals and communities—just between 2022 and 2023, we have reached 60,000 patients.
“This collaboration with Tesco, Veolia, and Groundwork highlights the potential of innovative partnerships to create vibrant spaces for public benefit and drive positive change in healthcare and environmental sustainability. It’s particularly special that we repurpose soft plastics instead of increasing waste.”
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