SAINSBURY’S is to introduce a number of packaging changes across its own-brand chicken and fish lines in a move it says is set to save 694 tonnes of plastic a year.
All own-brand salmon fillet trays are to switch to pulp cardboard instead of plastic, in what Sainsbury’s said is a UK retailer first, with the new pulp trays made from sugarcane pulp and lined with polyethylene film – resulting in 70% less plastic.
Alongside this, Sainsbury’s is rolling out cardboard trays across its Taste the Difference and by Sainsbury’s breaded chicken lines, set to save 300 tonnes of plastic a year. The retailer is also making the same changes to its Taste the Difference breaded fish fillets, which it said will save 48 tonnes of plastic a year.
The new packaging is described as ‘easily recyclable’ and will also be rolling out throughout summer across seasonal chicken offerings, including Sainsbury’s BBQ range. The retailer said the packaging will be used across its breaded goujons, nuggets, schnitzels, and more.
Claire Hughes, director of product and innovation at Sainsbury’s, said, “With salmon being one of our most popular fish, we made it a priority to reduce the plastic on the packaging of this much loved product as we work towards our Plan for Better goals.
“We are now the first retailer to make the move to have recycled pulp card trays across all our by Sainsbury’s and Taste the Difference salmon products, enabling a whopping 70% plastic reduction. Together with changes to our breaded fish and chicken packaging, we are set to save 694 tonnes of plastic a year – a significant step towards our plastic reduction goals.”
Sainsbury’s recently launched its ‘Good to Know’ logo to help customers find products that are more sustainable, including those with reduced plastic packaging. The new logo is aimed to help customers understand the retailer’s work around sustainability and its work towards its Plan for Better ambitions. Customers will be able to find the ‘Good to Know’ logo on the latest packaging across its salmon products.
