Sainsbury’s has switched its own-brand mushroom punnets from plastic to cardboard, in a move which will save over 775 tonnes of plastic, equivalent to 52 million pieces of plastic a year.
The swap marks the retailer’s biggest single plastics removal in its history – equivalent to the weight of 43 full London double-decker buses.
The change will be rolled out to all 13 own-brand lines including whole baby button, closed cup, organic and chestnut mushrooms by the end of the month.
Sainsbury’s will be the first UK retailer to roll out cardboard punnets for all mushrooms across all stores, and it will help consumers recycle packaging more easily at home.
“Making a collective effort with suppliers to increase recycled content and recyclability for all customers has helped achieve our biggest-ever plastics removal so far,” said Claire Hughes, director of product innovation.
“The initiative reflects our commitment towards a healthier and more sustainable future as we continue to look at ways to innovate our packaging and reduce and replace plastic where possible.”
Customers can already purchase BySainsbury’s and So Organic mushrooms in cardboard punnets in all stores and online, with the change rolling out to other lines by the end of January.
The film packaging can still be recycled at one of Sainsbury’s front-of-store flexible plastics recycling points.
