The new eco-packing will see sealed trays replaced with ‘snip and slide’ packaging that the firm estimates will cut packaging waste by 50 per cent save 90 tonnes of plastic waste a year. The supermarket said the packs have been designed for ease of opening and content removal.
Minced and diced meat will be the first products to be re-packaged. If the new packaging is the success the company expects, it will be used for other “appropriate” food products, a Waitrose spokeswoman told FoodProductionDaily.com.
Flow pack
Waitrose said it had employed flow pack technology already used in the packaging of foods such as salads and potato crisps. The new packaging has been designed to be robust enough to withstand the weight of being underneath other items in a shopping basket.
The supermarket said that it would be using an existing packaging supplier and had invested in new production lines that had already been installed.
Company meat buyer Andy Boulton said demand from its customers for a solution that was practical and more sustainable had been the driver behind the development.
“These packs are more slim-line which gives shoppers more room in their shopping bags, fridge and when stored in the freezer,” he said. “And with the added benefit of cutting waste by half but at no extra cost. Feedback from customers has already been really positive as they can still buy the same quality meat products but will be minimising waste.”