HOLBORN, LONDON — One of the United Kingdom’s largest food retailers, Sainsbury’s, announced a packaging switch for its steaks as another step toward the company’s sustainability commitments. The retailer is replacing plastic trays with a cardboard tray alternative that uses 70% less plastic.
The new trays are available at all locations and online across 10 products in the Sainsbury’s steak line.
“As part of our Plan for Better commitments, we are trying to reduce plastic packaging across our own brand ranges, as we know that reducing plastic is important to our customers but also on our environmental impact,” said Claire Hughes, director of product and innovation at Sainsbury’s. “It’s why we are always looking at ways to innovate our packaging and reduce or replace plastic wherever we can, as quickly as we can.”
Sainsbury’s predicts the switch to cardboard will save 249 tonnes of plastic per year. To recycle the trays at home, customers can rinse the trays before placing them in the recycling bin.
“We’re pleased to save another 10 million pieces of plastic a year by swapping our by Sainsbury’s steak trays to cardboard following the changes we have already made on So Organic and Taste the Difference packaging,” Hughes said.
The announcement is the latest move in the series of efforts the company is taking to reduce its environmental footprint. In April, the company went trayless of whole chickens, which cut plastic usage by at least 50%.