British supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has revealed plans to eliminate single-use plastic lids across its range of own-brand dip pots.
From next year, single-use plastic lids will no longer feature on products such as guacamole, tzatziki and sour cream and chive dips.
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The initiative is expected to remove 71 million pieces of plastic a year, which is equivalent to 220t of plastic.
Sainsbury’s has introduced reusable lids for customers who prefer to use lids on these products at home.
Reusable lids will be available for purchase at all the company’s superstores in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as online for £1.25 ($1.53).
In a statement, Sainsbury’s said: “Customers will be able to find the lids in-store in the dairy aisle and can be used on own-brand pots, as well as some branded pots, including Yeo Valley, Onken and Alpro.
“After each use, the silicone lids simply need to be washed by hand or in the dishwasher, before being reused.”
The initiative is part of the retailer’s wider efforts to reduce its own-brand plastic packaging by 50% 2025.
Sainsbury’s has been removing single-use plastic lids from a wide range of products, including cream, crème fraiche, custard, cottage cheese and sour cream, since 2019.
Last year, the retailer removed plastic lids from its own-brand brandy cream, followed by the removal of single-use plastic lids from all its own-brand yoghurts earlier this year.
Sainsbury’s recently switched from plastic to aluminium pods for its entire coffee pods range, a move expected to save more than ten million pieces of plastic each year.
In July this year, Sainsbury’s introduced double-length toilet rolls, which have twice the standard number of sheets on each roll.
The new multipack rolls also use an average of 30% less plastic, which could save an estimated 84t of plastic.
