Morrisons has become the first UK supermarket to sell its own brand fresh milk in carbon neutral, Tetra Pak cartons in a move that will save an initial 100 tons of plastic a year.
Nine lines will initially move into Tetra Pak packaging with fresh milk being one of the single biggest users of plastic packaging within UK supermarkets, accounting for approximately 10% of all plastic used.
The move is latest change to Morrisons’ own brand milk after removing use by dates earlier this year. They feature a very thin layer of plastic coating and twist caps made from polyethylene, which is derived from sustainably sourced sugarcane.
The Tetra Pak cartons have been certified by the Carbon Trust as Carbon Neutral. They are recyclable in most UK regions and at recycling banks across the country.
Tony Fearon, Dairy Category Director at Morrisons, said: “Fresh milk does not need to be in a plastic bottle. It keeps just as fresh in a carton. Fresh milk is the top user of plastic packaging in our stores, so this will result in significant plastic reduction. Tetra Pak has also been independently verified as a better sustainable packaging option. If customers take to it, we could be looking to move all of our fresh milk to Tetra Pak cartons in time.”
Hugh Jones, Managing Director of Advisory at the Carbon Trust, said: “We welcome this move by Morrisons towards reducing the environmental impact of its milk packaging. Our Carbon Trust ‘Carbon Neutral’ label, which will feature on these milk products in their new Tetra Pak packaging, recognizes the CO2 reduction of this move and certifies that the cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of the packaging is in line with targets.”
