UK retailer Tesco has announced that it has commenced using recyclable paper packaging for its own-brand pocket tissues.
The move will see the retailer replacing the soft plastic used in individual packs, as well as the wrap around the multi-packs of Tesco’s Gentle White and Balm tissues, with FSC-certified paper packaging.
The initiative is expected to prevent the use of almost 35 tonnes of new soft plastic annually.
Tesco campaigns manager, Courtney Pallett, said, “Unlike boxes of tissues, the pocket version tends to be used on the go and can all too easily become litter. The new paper packaging works just as well as the old plastic wrap but is more sustainable.”
Plastic Reduction Measures
Since 2019, Tesco has removed nearly 2.2 billion pieces of plastic across its business in the UK.
The figure includes over 200 million bags from Tesco.com deliveries and more than 100 million extra lids from products such as wipes, creams, yoghurts, and desserts.
It has also removed more than 75 million plastic wraps from tinned multipacks; around 50 million pieces of plastic wrapping from cans of branded beers and ciders; and more than 50 million pieces of plastic from greeting cards.
Read More: Claire Lorains Outlines Tesco's Approach To Sustainable Business
Elsewhere, a study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has found that the widespread adoption of returning and reusing plastic packaging could help to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 69%.
Such schemes not only lower companies' emissions but can also drive down costs for some items, according to the study, which covered more than 60 organisations, including national governments and consumer goods companies such as Danone, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever.
