Tribe has unveiled what it claims is the UK’s first energy bar with a compostable wrapper.
The sports nutrition startup is set to launch a “beta production run” of its Cacao & Orange variant in eco-friendly packaging made from compostable-grade paper, eucalyptus pulp, water-based glue and non-toxic ink.
The result of more than a year’s collaboration with Yorkshire’s Parkside Flexibles, the new wrapper would reduce to “water, CO2 and minerals” within 26 weeks in domestic compost, said Tribe, which had searched “for the most environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic that were viable”.
Use of sustainable materials mean the 42g pack is neither as glossy nor as vibrant as Tribe’s other bars and creases more easily. However, the brand insisted “these are all small sacrifices considering they will be immeasurably better for our environment”. Price has not been affected.
If disposed in a regular bin for landfill, the wrapper would not break down in the same way and take “much longer” than six months, Tribe warned. “It should be placed in your compost heap at home or in your food waste bin.”
The business intends to migrate the rest of its 20-strong sports nutrition portfolio to plastic-free over the next nine months.
“We are a brand inspired by nature,” said Tribe co-founder Rob Martineau. “Our mission is to protect nature and minimise the environmental impact of our products.”
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