Co-op gets rid of plastic packing in its Easter eggs

The Co-op is removing plastic packaging from its ownbrand Easter eggs.

It is part of the retailer’s commitment to eliminate unnecessary plastic from its own-brand ranges.

The move means that there will be no plastic inner packaging and windows for all five of its hollow Fairtrade Easter eggs – which will save more than 14 tonnes of the material.

Iain Ferguson, environment manager at the Co-op, said: "Easter egg packaging is renowned for its excessive use of unnecessary plastic, whether to protect the chocolate or to display the design.

"Our teams have worked incredibly hard to deliver a new solution that ensures the egg is still protected whilst allowing our customers to see all the aspects of their stunning designs.

"This is a really positive step within the packaging industry, especially for seasonal Easter lines."

Paula Chin, sustainable materials specialist at the World Wide Fund for Nature, said: "It is great to see businesses like Co-op tackling our throwaway culture head-on. Spring should be a time to celebrate the glory of the natural world, not to pollute it.

"We need to see more businesses, governments and individuals taking greater responsibility to tackle plastic pollution. That's why we're calling for a global treaty to stop plastic from leaking into our oceans.”

Michael Briggs, head of sustainability at consumer watchdog Which?, said: "Recyclability of grocery packaging is important to consumers, yet almost half of packaging used by supermarkets is not widely recyclable, so it is good to see the Co-op taking these steps.”