WAITROSE has launched certified own-brand home compostable teabags, in what the retailer said is a first for UK supermarkets.
All of its Duchy teabags are now accredited with a TUV OK compost HOME certification, meaning they can be placed directly into a home compost bin or heap. The packaging on the teabags has also been amended to reduce ink coverage, which the supermarket explained will help ensure the teabags can break down more effectively.
To further reduce waste, Waitrose said it will continue to use existing packaging in stock which will not specify the new compostable accreditation but customers can rest assured that all Duchy tea bags purchased in-store or online now can be processed via a home compost bin right away.
Waitrose said that the move could prevent over 4.5 million of its teabags from going to waste in the first year alone, which it added is the equivalent of 12.2 tonnes of material saved from going to landfill or incineration.
Christina Capellaro, packaging development manager at Waitrose, commented, “The reali-tea is that our customers want to make whatever changes they can to ensure they’re shopping, eating and drinking more sustainably. By securing accreditation for products such as our Duchy home compostable tea bags, we’re reassuring our customers that by making these little changes to their shopping habits, they can reduce their impact on the environment.”
