Waitrose to cut packaging in half by 2016

And, the retailer has unveiled three major changes to its product ranges that will help achieve this target, which it claims will together save nearly 100 tonnes of packaging each year.

The Menu from Waitrose range of prepared meals has been re-launched with a full redesign and packaging update for all of the 49 products within the range. The width of the sleeves on the outside of the products has been decreased, resulting in a reduction of 33 tonnes of packaging per year – equivalent to a 20% overall weight saving.

Waitroses Good to Go range of 190 snacks and sandwiches has also been re-launched, with packaging reductions totalling 25 tonnes per year. Changes include increasing the size of the clear window on sandwiches to allow better visibility of the product, cutting 11 tonnes of packaging per year. Pre-printed bags for fruit portions were also developed, saving 60 per cent of the weight by taking off the label.

And – after being introduced for mince and diced meat in 2010 – flow wrap packaging has now been gradually rolled out for all meat including lamb and pork. By removing the plastic tray in the packs of pork and lamb, Waitrose said it would be cutting back on 38 tonnes of packaging per year – a 70% saving.

Waitrose packaging and reprographics manager, Karen Graley said: We are always working hard to reduce packaging where we can, to decrease the waste reaching our customers bins and ensure they can recycle as much as possible. Re-launching a range is a fantastic opportunity to do this and cutting packaging by nearly 100 tonnes per year is a great result to have achieved on our journey to halving packaging by 2016.

Commitments

Halving packaging by 2016 compared to 2005 is one of twelve pledges in the Waitrose Way commitments, which were launched last week.

The Commitments span four corporate social responsibility pillars: Treading Lightly, Championing British, Treating People Fairly and Living Well.

Waitrose head of sustainability and ethical sourcing, Quentin Clark said: These pledges by no means cover everything we’re up to. But when we spoke to customers these 12 areas are what people said really mattered most.

“As a nation we’re getting busier, and lack of time means we need to be able to trust the retailer we are using. So when creating these pledges we made sure the emphasis was on how we we’re being part of the solution, now and in the future – we want it to be really easy for our customers to know were doing the right thing.

Waitrose is part of the John Lewis Partnership. The Partnership generates over 60,000 tonnes of waste and places over 130,000 tonnes of packaging on the market each year.

Waitrose is a signatory to the voluntary Courtauld Commitment which commits it to reduce packaging and food waste. In September 2012, it achieved its target to divert all shop food waste from landfill by the end of 2012/13 six months early.