UK retailer Sainsbury is to ditch the outer box on its Basic own-brand cereals in an attempt to cut down on wasteful packaging.
As one of a number of initiatives Sainsbury is undertaking in a bid to cut packaging by a third by 2015, the retailer has started stocking packets of Rice Pops without the box in many of its stores.
Sainsbury said it hopes to cut cardboard boxes for all its own-brand cereals “soon”.
“We’re working on the rest of our Basic range now, “ a spokesperson told just-food. “People have been asking, why does it have to be in a box and a bag. We are the only retailer who offers 100% recycled boxes. An average cereal box weighs 80g and we would like to go without using that 80g every time.”
Sainsbury said it had trialled the cereal with and without the box and the latter came out on top.
Reports had suggested Kellogg was to follow suit. However, the cereal giant dismissed the suggestion.
A spokesperson for Kellogg told just-food: “We continuously look at different packaging options and in some markets we do use plastic bags – however in the UK we know our consumers buy Kellogg’s for the quality and we need to ensure we can provide the same quality of product eg, not dusty broken flakes – if we were to change our packaging in the future. At this moment in time we haven’t found a suitable solution.”
Kellogg said its packaging has been 100% recyclable since 1906 when it launched.
“Our card and plastic is already 40% thinner than 30 years ago without compromising safety, shelf life or damage of the cereal with just 3% of cereal going to waste – industry leading waste.”
Kellogg said it is working with WRAP to define its next targets on packaging which will be “carbon rather than weight based”.
“This will help to define what packaging is appropriate in the future while providing the consumer with safe, long shelf life, and undamaged cereals,” the company said.
