MARKS and Spencer is making a major change at all stores and it’s bound to leave customers divided.
The posh shop has rolled out new paper-based packaging on its rice, grains and pulses range.
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The new range of packaging, either bags or boxes, is all recyclable.
It comes as the retailer is attempting to battle plastic waste.
Over 30 products found in all of its stores will now come in the paper-based bag including: Basmati rice, Couscous and Red Lentils.
Whereas four items in its Collection range will now come in paper boxes.
These are: Thai Hom Mali Jasmine Rice, Aged Basmati Rice, Spanish Bomba Paella Rice and Italian Carnaroli Risotto Rice.
Both forms of the new packaging can be recycled at home in your paper bin – before if shoppers wanted to recycle these products they’d have to head back into stores.
M&S says the new packaging is estimated to remove a combined 5.5million units of plastic and contains 90% less plastic by weight.
Andrew Clappen, technical director at M&S Food, said: “We need to transform how we make, move and sell our products to make sure M&S Food is as sustainable as possible.
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“Tackling packaging is a huge part of that – we need to get creative in finding alternatives that our customers can easily recycle, that reduce plastic and that protect the all-important M&S quality.”
The change will likely come as welcome news to many customers due to the affect on the environment, but some may not be big fans.
Similarly, in February Sainsbury’s revealed that it will be vacuum packing all of its beef mince products.
It replaced a sturdier plastic tray and film lid where the meat could move around inside.
The change means the supermarket is using a minimum of 55% less plastic, making it more eco-friendly as a result.
But, shoppers weren’t impressed and slammed the change complaining that now the meat sticks together in a lump.
Earlier this year, the M&S also introduced its “bring your own bag” initiative.
Shoppers will now need to bring their own bags when they come to collect certain orders at 251 stores, with the intention of it being rolled out more widely.
Last year the British retail giant began trialling paper bags at 10 select stores too.
M&S and Sainsbury’s are not the only chains to make changes to shops in a bid to avoid plastic waste.
Morrisons replaced all its plastic bags with 30p paper ones in 2021.
Tesco doubled the price of its plastic bags to 20p in 2020 to deter customers away from using them.
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.
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