UK retail giant Tesco has announced a shift in its packaging strategy by transitioning its own-brand Finest range of dried pasta into paper packaging.

This move is part of the company's effort to reduce plastic usage, projected to save more than ten million pieces of plastic each year, equivalent to over 30 tonnes (t).

Ten pasta lines in total have moved to the new packaging. These are now available in Tesco Express stores.

The new packaging is 100% recyclable and designed for disposal in household recycling bins.

Tesco stated that its Remove, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle packaging strategy has been instrumental in eliminating more than 2.3 billion pieces of plastic from its UK operations since the programme's inception in 2019.

This year, Tesco introduced several measures to further its sustainability goals. Notably, it claimed to have become the first supermarket to eliminate plastic packaging from its own-brand pocket tissue multipacks, opting for recyclable paper instead.

This change is expected to reduce soft plastic waste by more than 55 million pieces.

Additionally, a new line of luxury toilet rolls and kitchen towels has been launched, made from recycled cardboard sourced from home delivery boxes, toilet roll tubes, and corrugated card waste.

Tesco Group sustainability and quality director Claire Lorains said: “Removing unnecessary plastic is an important way that Tesco can reduce its environmental impact. The new paper packaging works just as well as the old plastic but can be popped into your normal recycling bin with other paper.

“We're proud of the work we’ve done so far to reduce the plastic we use at Tesco but will continue to look for ways to do more."

In May this year, Tesco Ireland, a subsidiary of Tesco, announced plans to introduce a new, more environmentally friendly packaging format for its fresh mincemeat products.