UK retailer Sainsbury's has announced it will be the first to develop fully biodegradable cotton buds, using a paper stem as well as a 100% plastic-free adhesive.
The retailer has estimated that the move could eliminate over 50 tonnes of plastic from the production process per year.
The switch is equally good news for the marine environment, as a 2016 report using data from the Marine Conservation Society found that the number of cotton bud sticks washed up on beaches in the UK had more than doubled since 2012.
Natalie Fee, founder of plastic pollution campaign group City to Sea, commented, "Preventing plastics from reaching the ocean and entering the food chain is essential for ensuring the health of our marine wildlife. It’s great that retailers have already agreed to switch the stick, but Sainsbury’s move goes even further to protect our oceans."
The company intends to introduce the new product before the end of 2017 and has pledged to share the formula for the innovative biodegradable glue, once it has proved to be successful, with the industry.
Other retailers such as Tesco, Asda and Lidl also followed through on the group's campaign goal to 'switch the stick'.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Martha Sparrius. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
