UK retail giant, Sainsbury’s, is embracing eco-conscious packaging solutions by transitioning from plastic to paper for its own-brand toilet paper and kitchen towel ranges. This shift is projected to annually save a substantial 485 metric tons of plastic, equivalent to over 55 million individual plastic items. The move marks a significant stride in Sainsbury’s efforts to reduce plastic usage and is hailed as “the biggest plastics reduction the retailer has made in its grocery business so far.”

The transition to paper packaging encompasses 27 product lines, impacting both in-store and online offerings, and is scheduled for completion by February next year. What sets this move apart is that the new paper packaging has been thoughtfully designed with recyclability in mind, simplifying the recycling process for consumers through curbside programs.

Claire Hughes, the Director of Product and Innovation at Sainsbury’s, emphasised the importance of this switch, stating, “We sell thousands of our own brand toilet tissue and kitchen roll products every week, and by switching from plastic to paper on these household staples, we’re able to reduce plastic significantly. This change alone represents the biggest plastic reduction in our grocery products so far, and our customers can expect many more changes to come.”

However, not everyone shares the same enthusiasm for this shift. Chris DeArmitt, a plastic materials scientist and the president of Phantom Plastics, expressed his reservations, suggesting that paper may not be the panacea it appears to be. He remarked, “Every life cycle study I have read comparing paper to PE plastic shows that the paper causes far more harm, meaning you need 3–4 times more material. If they say they save 485 metric tons of plastic, what that means is that they increased material use by over 1,000 tons.”

DeArmitt goes on to argue that such a transition may also lead to increased waste, CO2 emissions, fossil fuel use, and overall harm to the environment. Moreover, he points out that studies indicate people tend to litter more when paper packaging is used, as they erroneously believe it will degrade naturally, unlike plastic. Despite these concerns, Sainsbury’s remains committed to its sustainability goals.

Sainsbury’s previous initiatives to reduce plastic waste include the introduction of double-length toilet rolls, which reduced plastic packaging by 30%, saving 84 tons of plastic annually. They were also in the spotlight for being the “first UK retailer” to replace plastic babywear hangers with cardboard, achieving an annual saving of 103 tons of plastic. The supermarket further transitioned its own-brand laundry detergent from plastic to cardboard cartons earlier this year, leading to an annual reduction of 22 tons of plastic waste. As part of their commitment to waste reduction, they also swapped use-by dates with best-before dates across their own-brand milk range. Read full article on this swap here: Sainsbury’s Switches to Best-Before Dates on Milk to Tackle UK Food Waste | FMCG (londonpackagingweek.com)

As the retail landscape evolves, Sainsbury’s remains dedicated to its efforts to minimise plastic packaging. Last year, the retailer eliminated single-use plastic lids across its dip pot range, resulting in a saving of over 220 metric tons of waste. However, the brand faced challenges when they changed their minced beef packaging to vacuum packs in an attempt to reduce material usage. Consumers voiced concerns about the product’s grey appearance and its texture, likening it to a “brick” rather than a consumable item.