Sainsbury’s Unveils Paper Packaging for Avocado Twin Packs, Saving 20.2 Million Plastic Pieces Annually
London, UK — Sainsbury’s has announced a significant sustainability initiative by introducing paper-based packaging for its own-brand "Ripe & Ready" avocado twin packs. The move, which replaces plastic with a fully recyclable paper and bamboo netting solution, is expected to save 20.2 million pieces of plastic each year upon full rollout.
The initiative is being trialed across 77 Sainsbury’s supermarkets, with the packaging already available in select stores. If the trial proves successful, a broader rollout is anticipated later this year, extending both in-store and online.
Claire Hughes, Director of Product and Innovation at Sainsbury’s, shared her enthusiasm for the change:
“Switching to paper packaging across our Ripe & Ready Avocados twin pack is one of the many steps we are taking to fulfill our commitment towards a greener future. This initiative reflects our continuous efforts to develop sustainable and innovative packaging solutions, and we’re excited for our customers to experience the new packaging in-store.”
The plastic-free packaging is designed to be easily recyclable at kerbside, aligning with Sainsbury’s broader efforts to reduce plastic waste and improve sustainability.
Additional Sustainability Measures
This transition is part of Sainsbury’s ongoing strategy to cut down plastic usage across its product range. Recent initiatives include:
- Switching from plastic to cardboard punnets for its Taste the Difference berries and cherries, saving over 160 tonnes of plastic annually.
- Moving to cardboard punnets for mushrooms, reducing plastic usage by approximately 775 tonnes each year.
- Transitioning all kitchen and toilet roll packaging from plastic to paper, cutting over 485 tonnes of plastic annually.
To further support its sustainability goals, Sainsbury’s has introduced the ‘Good to Know’ logo, designed to help customers easily identify products with improved packaging or components, such as reduced plastic content.
Customer Incentives
Coinciding with the avocado packaging launch, Sainsbury’s is offering the "Ripe & Ready" twin pack on Nectar Prices, allowing customers to purchase it for £1.35 in supermarkets and online until January 25th—a 30p saving compared to the standard price of £1.65.
This latest move underlines Sainsbury’s commitment to creating a sustainable future by reducing plastic waste while maintaining convenience and value for its customers.