UK-based supermarket Tesco has rolled out new recyclable packaging with 70% less plastic for its fresh mince product.

The new ‘pillow packs’ have been launched to replace the conventional tray or top wrap packs.

The packaging is available for two fresh mince product lines, including the 500g Tesco Beef Lean Steak Mince 5% Fat retailing for £3.49 ($4.43), and Tesco Beef Mince 500g 20% Fat, which retails at £2.49.

The retailer said its pillow packs, which are 'opposite' to vacuum packs, are inflated like pillows to keep the minced product intact and in perfect condition while preventing it from being compressed.

In both packs, the quantity of mince continues to remain the same as in the old packaging, however, the pillow packs are available in comparatively smaller sizes.

According to Tesco, this smaller packaging will use fewer lorries to transport and will be easier to fit on supermarket shelves, further boosting the availability of the products.

The new packaging will initially be trialled at some Tesco stores in the UK.

If the customers give positive feedback about the new packaging, the retailer said it will introduce these pillow packs at more stores or even across more product lines.

Tesco Fresh commercial director Dom Morrey said: “As well as looking for great value when they shop, customers want to see less plastic packaging in their trolleys.

“Pillow packs are a win-win: they keep the mince in perfect condition while requiring much less plastic.”

The new packs are recyclable in nature and customers can dispose of them with their other soft plastics in any of the recycling units in front of Tesco stores.

It has been launched as part of Tesco’s ‘4Rs packaging strategy’ to remove, reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic used in its products’ packaging.

In January, Tesco announced the launch of recycled plastic waste packaging for its fresh fish products.