UK Retailers strive for a greener Christmas this year
Today, Waitrose and John Lewis announced an end to selling Christmas crackers containing plastic toys. According to the retailer, the plastic will be replaced with toys made from recyclable materials such as metal and paper games, specifically decorated with alternatives to glitter.
In addition to this, John Lewis and Partners have announced that it will also be selling three ‘design your own’ crackers which have proven more popular than the plastic filled multipacks.
The retailer also announced that it has saved eight tonnes of plastic every year simply from removing plastic wrapping from a majority of its single cards.
Dan Cooper, Partner and Head Christmas Buyer at John Lewis said; “Reducing the amount of single use plastic in products and packaging is really important to us and our customers.
“One of the challenges I face as a buyer is that we plan 18 months ahead so it takes time for changes to become a reality. I’m always searching for new, more sustainable products which will make Christmas sparkle but won’t end up spoiling our environment.”
SEE MORE:
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- Read the latest issue of CSO magazine here
- Read the latest issue of Energy Digital here
This follows on closely from the pledge made by Waitrose & Partners to ensure that all of its own brand cards, wraps, crackers, tags, flowers and plants will be glitter free. So far it's reduced own brand range of Christmas wrapping paper, gift bags and tags, advent calendars and crackers by two-thirds. These products will be completely free of plastic glitter by Christmas.
John Lewis also produces all of its Christmas trees in the U.K, and tinsel in Wales.
