Sainsbury’s switches from tins to cartons for tomatoes

The store said the packing change, which will reduce its carbon emissions by 156 tonnes a year, will help the company achieve its target of cutting packaging by a third by 2015. The cartons are fully recyclable, Sainsbury’s told FoodProductionDaily.com.

Stuart Lendrum, Sainsbury's head of packaging, said: "This type of carton is a strong challenger to the traditional tin can in many ways, and may well pose a threat to its dominance over the coming years.​

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He added: "Packaging basics chopped tomatoes this way will make life easier for customers as they will take up less space in cupboards, while at the same time, the environmental impact of those tomatoes will be a lot lower. Also, as they can be packed more tightly, more will fit onto a lorry meaning fewer journeys are required to move them around the country."​

Prices​

The company said its Basics tinned tomatoes were the highest selling non-fresh item in the store, adding it was the first time cartons had been used to replace tinned items in large volumes.

The change demonstrated it was not necessary to choose between eco-initiatives and higher prices, it said.

"We focus equally on basics products when looking for ways to reduce packaging, as it's a great way to show customers that they do not have to pay more to be environmentally conscious,”​ added Lendrum.

Sainsbury’s said that it would be looking at the possibility of switching to carton packaging of other products, but declined to comment further. It added that packing had also been reduced on a number of products in recent months, including eggs, ready meals and breakfast cereals.