Sainsbury's to make packaging change that affects all shoppers in an effort to reduce plastic

The supermarket chain is switching its doughnuts and pastries from plastic clam-shell packaging to cardboard and paper alternatives.

This change alone will result in a 90 per cent reduction in plastic use for these items.

Doughnuts will now be sold in card boxes with a small window, whilst twin-pack pastries, croissants, and cinnamon swirls will be available in paper bags.

The supermarket is also tackling plastic waste in its bread products. In-store bakery bread, including loaves, baguettes and batons will see up to a 60 per cent reduction in plastic packaging.

Full plastic bags have been replaced with recyclable paper bags featuring a small plastic window. This change is expected to save approximately 152 tonnes of plastic annually.

Together, the new packaging for doughnuts, pastries and bread products could save 566 tonnes of plastic per year.

Customers can expect to see these changes implemented across all Sainsbury's stores over the coming months.

The new measures are set to make a substantial impact on Sainsbury's plastic waste reduction efforts.

Sainsbury's estimates that the switch to cardboard and paper packaging for doughnuts and pastries alone will reduce plastic packaging by 414 tonnes annually.

As for how to dispose of the products, the window on the new packaging can be easily separated from the card box and paper bag and recycled at any front-of-store recycling points at Sainsbury’s supermarkets. The card and paper can be recycled at home in curbside recycling.

This is the latest in a string of initiatives by Sainsbury's to cut down on waste.

At the beginning of the year, Sainsbury's made a big food packaging change to 13 essential items in all stores, saving around 775 tonnes of plastic annually.

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Last year, the supermarket saved more than 485 tonnes of plastic a year by rolling out new packaging on 27 essential products, with customers seeing changes to Sainsbury's own-brand toilet paper and kitchen roll.

Sainsbury’s recently launched its 'Good to Know' logo to help customers find products that are more sustainable, including those with reduced plastic packaging.

It hopes to raise awareness and make it easier for customers to understand Sainsbury’s work to support sustainability, animal welfare and communities.

In other supermarket news, Aldi has launched a food range inspired by takeaways with meals starting from £1.39, available now.