ANOTHER major supermarket has started packing its beef mince in vacuum-sealed plastic rather than plastic trays with film lids.
Lidl has become the latest grocery store to make the change following Sainsbury’s and Co-op.
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In a bid to save the environment, Lidl has opted for recyclable vacuum-sealed packaging which uses two thirds less plastic.
It will replace a sturdier plastic tray and film lid where the meat can move around inside.
The change will take up to 350 delivery trucks off the road every year.
Also, households should save over 250 tonnes of plastic a year as a result, and the meat should stay in date for longer.
Customers will spot the change across all beef mince products in Lidl’s 960 UK stores from the start of next year.
It currently costs £1.79 per 500g of beef mince, and there is no indication to say the price will change once the new packaging comes in.
Shyam Unarket, Lidl GB’s head of responsible sourcing and ethical trade, said: “By ensuring that any new packaging is recyclable, we’ll be able to help prevent plastic pollution in our environment.
“When the new packaging arrives in store early next year, we know that the huge benefits both from a sustainability and practical perspective, will be welcomed by our customers.”
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However, the change has not pleased many shoppers so far.
Sainsbury’s was the first to announce the change in March across its 600 stores.
Shoppers will receive vacuum-sealed mince even if they order for delivery or click and collect.
But in response, customers slammed the change, complaining that now the meat sticks together in a lump.
In a review on the Sainsbury’s website one said that it was “not mince at all now” and that it “comes apart in lumps”.
Another complained: “Its a sticky lump of goo, all the texture gone in the vacuum. “
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson responded to the backlash: “We are always looking for new ways to innovate packaging to meet our ambitious plastic reduction targets.
“Our new vacuum-packed beef mince packaging uses 55% less plastic and saves over 450 tonnes of plastic a year, without impacting taste or quality.”
Co-op also switched up its beef packaging last month for environmental reasons – and it’s currently rolling out the vacuum-sealed versions across its 2,500 UK stores.
The change affects 11 Co-op meat products altogether.
A spokesperson for Co-op said: “We are pleased to introduce new recyclable vacuum packaging on our 100% British mince, which ensures great quality British meat, increases shelf life to help minimise food waste, and helps save over 138 tonnes of plastic each year.”
Elsewhere, other supermarkets have made changes recently in a bid to cut costs and be more environmentally friendly.
Posh shop Waitrose ditched its red, blue and green milk caps over the summer.
While Aldi has been trialling the switch since August, ditching its coloured caps.
Over 300 fruit and veg products no longer have best before dates on them at Marks & Spencer.
And Asda ditched the dates from almost 250 of its fresh fruit and vegetable products last September.
