Following a £26m investment, tea brand Tetley has made a significant step forward on its sustainability journey with the introduction of the most significant change to its pack format in 30 years.
A new cardboard carton pack to replace its softpack packaging for its black tea range is beginning to appear on shelves this month.
With the transition of all softpacks to the new format, 97% of Tetley’s packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable, in line with its commitment to the UK Plastics Pact to achieve 100% by 2025.
Although Tetley’s Softpack packaging still provides many benefits, with no recycling facilities able to handle the thin layer of laminate on the packaging, the company has been working on finding an alternative solution.
Its new cartons have been made to mirror the advantageous sizing of Tetley’s softpack packaging as closely as possible. The compact design is around 25% smaller than rivals packs, meaning more efficient transportation and use of shelf space in store.
The new Tetley packs have no plastic outer film or inner bag and are made from fully recyclable card and food-grade inks. The packaging can be disposed of through normal card recycling routes.
The tea bags themselves are also made from plant-based materials. After use, the teabags can be sent for composting via kerbside food collection for disposal. The move to plant-based bags is a major undertaking for the brand, with 200 product lines to convert.
Packs of Tetley Original, Decaf, Extra Strong and Gold are all moving to the new pack format.
“This is a major development for our sustainability programme on so many counts,” said Head of Strategy Deployment & Sustainability Cassie Shuttlewood, “From using existing machinery at our factory and repurposing it to deliver new modern formats and plant-based tea bags, to the final execution of a compact pack, cleverly packaged with the requirements of both customers and consumers in mind.
“We’re still on a journey of improvement, there will always be more to do, but we’ll take a moment to pause and celebrate the contribution so many people have made to introduce this format which will make a major difference here in the UK and other international markets.”
On completion of the roll-out of biodegradable bags and the transition of all softpack packaging to the new carton format, Tetley will have removed 34.6 million pieces of non-recyclable multi-layer laminate from its waste stream and 9bn non-biodegradable tea bags.
