Marks & Spencer (M&S) has taken a significant step towards sustainability by transitioning its men's essentials range to paper packaging. This move is expected to eliminate approximately 5.5 million units of plastic from its Clothing & Home business over the next year.
The change encompasses all men's socks, woven pyjama sets, and nearly 40% of men's underwear lines, now available in FSC-certified paper packaging with recyclable paper hooks. These materials can be easily recycled at home, aligning with M&S's commitment to reducing environmental impact.
Pending successful trials, M&S plans to extend this paper packaging solution to additional products within the men's essentials range, potentially removing an extra 3.5 million plastic units from its supply chain.
Katharine Beacham, Head of Sustainability in Clothing & Home at M&S, stated: "We know we have a responsibility to do the right thing when it comes to our packaging by reducing unnecessary plastic. This one small change to our men’s essentials range will make a huge difference by removing over five million units of plastic from our supply chain. It also gives our customers the confidence to make more sustainable choices more easily when they shop with us, and trust that the M&S quality products they love are made, sourced, and packaged with care."
This initiative is part of M&S's broader "Plan A" sustainability roadmap, aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040. The retailer has previously introduced paper packaging for other products, including garlic baguettes, further demonstrating its commitment to reducing plastic waste.