Marks & Spencer cuts packaging by reducing air in bags
Marks & Spencer has reduced packaging for 140 snack products, including crisps and popcorn, by decreasing pockets of air in the bags. The company’s “Project Thin Air” has not reduced the contents of the packs, but has limited the amount of “thin air” included, leading to a 37% reduction in packaging in its popcorn range. Packaging in salt & vinegar and ready salted crisps has also been reduced by 20% through use of a thinner film. The retailer states that the changes have led to a saving of 75 tonnes of packaging per annum, equivalent to 152 fewer lorries on the road this year.

The supermarket’s ‘Project Thin Air’, from which over 140 of Marks and Spencer’s best-selling products have benefitted – including crisps and popcorn, is the latest move in its ethical and sustainability programme.

The contents of the snack packets have not diminished but by reducing the ‘thin air’ at the top of the bag M&S has managed to reduce packaging of its popcorn range by 37%.

M&S has also reduced the plastic in its popular salt & vinegar and ready salted crisps by 20% by using a thinner film.

According to M&S, the changes have led to 75 tonnes of packaging being saved each year – which equates to 152 fewer lorries on the road in 2017.

Last month the retailer introduced avocados with laser-printed barcodes.

M&S packaging expert Laura Fernandez said: “We’ve been working on this project for over a year and are really pleased with the results. M&S has led the way in packaging reduction, and this latest project has allowed us to dramatically reduce packaging across our snacks, with popcorn packaging down by 37% and hand cooked crisps down by 20%. We very much see this as the start of a much bigger piece of work and hope to bring equally impressive savings to other areas of the business too.”