Supermarket chain Spar Austria has committed to reducing plastic waste through a packaging reduction programme as part of its sustainability initiatives.

The company will focus on reducing packaging, replacing plastic packaging with alternative materials, or using recyclable packaging material.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

As part of its reduction programme, the retailer is planning to avoid plastic-coated wrapping paper by asking customers to bring their own boxes to carry cold cuts, cheese and meat at service counters. The retailer will pilot the initiative at three stores in Styria.

Spar will also introduce strict hygiene regulations stating that the boxes must not come into contact with the counter, scales or cutlery to avoid bacteria transfer.

It is urging customers to voluntarily avoid the plastic-coated packaging paper to reduce plastic waste.

The test will continue until February, with plans to expand the initiative to other stores across Austria based on customer feedback.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData
“The retailer is planning to avoid plastic-coated wrapping paper by asking customers to bring their own boxes to carry cold cuts, cheese and meat.”

Spar has introduced self-service solutions for local milk at two Interspar stores to reduce the use of tetra packs in Wels and Linz.

As part of the initiative, the supermarket chain will offer fresh raw milk from local farmers through vending machines. Customers need to use bottles to fill fresh milk.

Spar expects that this initiative will show a reduction in tetra pack packaging and promote regional food and farmers.

Over the last decade, the company disposed of plastic packaging of organic bananas, while it has introduced recyclable paper bags for loose fruits and vegetables at Interspar Hypermarkets.

Packaging Gateway Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Packaging Gateway Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
From rising paper prices to plastic reduction targets, Morris Packaging is tackling today’s toughest packaging challenges – and has won three 2025 Packaging Gateway Excellence Awards for it. Learn how Revopack and EcoPour deliver recycle-ready, high-impact packaging that boosts efficiency from filling line to retail shelf.

Discover the Impact