British supermarket chain Sainsbury’s is replacing the plastic packaging of its entire own-brand toilet paper and kitchen towel ranges with paper-based alternatives.

The move is claimed to be the first for any UK retailer and will save 485 tonnes (t) of plastic in the process.

Starting this week, Sainsbury’s will roll out the new packaging across 27 products both in-store and online, with plans to launch across all of its lines by February next year.

The solution is recyclable at home via kerbside recycling.

Sainsbury’s product and innovation director Claire Hughes said: “We sell thousands of our own-brand toilet tissue and kitchen roll products every week and by switching from plastic to paper on these household staples, we’re able to make a significant impact in reducing plastic.

“This change alone represents the biggest plastic reduction in our grocery products so far and our customers can expect many more changes to come. Collaborating with our suppliers to develop innovative packaging solutions to reduce plastic is a major key priority for Sainsbury’s, helping us to achieve our ambitious target of increasing recycled content and recyclability.”

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Last month, the retailer swapped its plastic babywear hangers to cardboard, which resulted in saving 103t of plastic a year.

The supermarket chain reduced its plastic packaging content by 30% after introducing double-length toilet rolls last year.

Earlier this month, Sainsbury’s replaced use-by dates with best-before dates on its own-brand milk range to help reduce food waste.