UK-based retailer Waitrose has announced a target to cut its packaging in half by 2016 and also changes to its product ranges that will help achieve the target, saving nearly 100t of packaging annually.
Waitrose launched its menu from range of prepared meals with a complete redesign and packaging update for all of the 49 products within the range.
The sleeves width on the outside of the products has been minimized, resulting in a reduction of 33t of packaging annually, which is equal to a 20% overall weight saving.
The retailer also introduced aluminum trays, which are lacquered both internally and externally for ready meals, and enable customers to cook and serve the meals in the same tray and recycle it after use.
Waitrose also re-launched the Good to Go range of 190 snacks and sandwiches with annual packaging reductions totaling 25t.
To allow better visibility of the product, the size of the clear window on sandwiches has been increased, reducing 11t of packaging per year and pre-printed bags for fruit portions were also developed, achieving 60% savings of the weight by taking off the label.
Flow wrap packaging, which was initially introduced for mince and diced meat in 2010, has been gradually rolled out for all meat including lamb and pork. Waitrose will reduce 38t of packaging per year - a 70% saving, by removing the plastic tray in the packs of pork and lamb.
The lightweight packs can be easily snipped open and the contents be slid into the pan.
Waitrose Packaging and Reprographics manager Karen Graley said, "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."
