Quorn is to eliminate more than 297 tonnes of black plastic packaging from its supply chain by the end of this month (June 2018).
The move is part of the wider focus of Quorn to be a leader in sustainable nutrition, and signals the brand’s intent to eventually cease using black plastic.
It follows the April 2017 WRAP announcement that local authorities were sending black plastic to landfill instead of recycling it.
Since April this year, black plastic has been phased out of the majority of Quorn packaging. This month, in-store packaging of the vast majority of the chilled range will move to white and opaque recyclable plastics. This change will replace 297 tonnes of black plastic with recyclable alternatives, supporting the WRAP initiative against unsustainable packaging.
Quorn aims to phase out the remainder of black plastics in its Deli range (which accounts for approximately 10% of the brand’s chilled products) before the end of 2018.
Quorn Foods CEO Kevin Brennan said: “As a founding signatory of WRAP’s UK Plastic Pact, we are very excited to announce this positive change towards increased sustainability of our products. Moving so quickly to remove black plastic is a significant challenge, but one that, as a sustainable company, we view as being of the utmost importance. We view this as the right thing to do, despite the six-figure cost.
“Our customers will be able to continue enjoying Quorn as part of a balanced and healthy diet, knowing that we are committed to reducing all forms of food waste in our supply chain and to promoting and advancing sustainability without passing the cost onto consumers.”
