Marks & Spencer is reducing the amount of plastic it uses by launching over 90 lines of loose fruit and vegetables completely free of plastic packaging.
In a three month trial at its Tolworth, London store, M&S has introduced greengrocers who will help customers as they select from two aisles of fruit and vegetables free of plastic packaging.
The range includes hard fruit and veg like potatoes and bananas, and also more perishable items such as soft fruits and berries, which will be retailed in compostable punnets.
The greengrocers will provide tips on how best to preserve produce and prevent food waste at home, as the retailer has removed “best before” date labels from fresh fruit and veg as part of the store trial.
The retailer has also committed to launching additional lines of loose produce and more sustainable alternatives to plastic in every UK store, which it says could save 580 tonnes of plastic waste over two years alone.
The plan will involve replacing plastic produce bags with paper ones and phasing out plastic barcode stickers in favour of eco-friendly alternatives.
Louise Nicholls, Head of Food Sustainability, said: “We know our customers want to play their part in cutting out plastic, while as a business our goal is to become zero-waste by 2025. That’s why we’re working hard to reduce the amount of plastic packaging we use without compromising on food quality and contributing to waste.”
The move by M&S follows dairy processor Muller rolling out a new recyclable milk cap which uses 13% less plastic material in a bid to bolster its environmental credentials.
