Marks & Spencer (M&S) has become the first UK retailer to switch its garlic baguettes to paper packaging, removing 5.5 million units of plastic annually. The shift applies to all single and twin garlic baguettes, which are now available in Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) approved paper packaging that can be easily recycled at home. The move aligns with M&S’s broader goal to eliminate 1 billion units of plastic packaging by 2027 as part of its Plan A sustainability roadmap.
M&S customers have expressed strong concerns about plastic waste, prompting the retailer to take action. M&S has already implemented several measures, such as introducing a fully recyclable paper fiber coffee cup and lid earlier this year, and replacing plastic bags with paper bands on bunches of bananas. Additionally, key produce lines, including British Collection vine tomatoes, mushrooms, and tropical fruit, have been transitioned to cardboard packaging.
Lucinda Langton, Head of Sustainability at M&S Food, stated, “We know our customers rank packaging as a top priority, and M&S is committed to reducing plastic packaging as a key part of our Plan A roadmap to Net Zero. Removing 5.5 million units from our supply chain is a significant step forward, and we continue to work with our suppliers to find innovative materials and processes to drive change at scale.”
M&S’s commitment to reducing plastic is part of its broader sustainability efforts, including meeting its target to eliminate 75 million units of plastic in 2023/24, four months ahead of schedule. The retailer’s Plan A roadmap aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.