Aldi has removed plastic windows and trays from several savoury food lines, in a move it says will eliminate 127 tonnes of the material annually.
The discounter’s Specially Selected pies and quiches and its Crestwood frittatas and quiches will now come in cardboard packaging, with no plastic windows.
Meanwhile its Crestwood pork pie and twin slices, including a Chicken Tikka variety, will now manage without plastic trays – though plastic wrapping is still used, to maintain freshness according to Aldi.
Aldi’s announcement comes are after new research this week claimed 51% of food and drink in UK supermarkets was packaged in plastic that could be safely replaced with an alternative, amounting to 29.8 billion avoidable pieces annually.
Packaging giant DS Smith, which commissioned the research, is calling on the government to phase out unnecessary plastic and regulate to force businesses to speed up progress.
The Crestwood and Specially Selected lines ditching some plastic at Aldi will be in their new packaging by 27 November, according to the discounter. Its Mini Pork Pie Selection is also due to be trayless for the festive period.
“We are constantly reviewing ways to become a more sustainable supermarket and reducing unnecessary plastic packaging is just another example of the progress we’re making,” said Aldi plastic and packaging director Luke Emery.
“We know our customers care about our environmental commitments just as much as we do and we hope these changes help make their daily shop more sustainable.”
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