Walkers to introduce cardboard boxes for multi-pack crisps in bid to remove plastic

Walkers has announced a £14million investment in new sustainable packaging, claiming to remove 250 tonnes of plastic from its supply chain each year.

The Leicester crisps giant, which has been producing crisps at its factory in Beaumont Leys since 1948, announced that the outer packaging on its multi-packs of crisps are being replaced by a new cardboard design.

The new multi-packs will be on the shelves on all major UK supermarkets in the coming weeks, according to the firm.

In a statement on PesiCo's website, it reads: "Reducing the amount of fossil-fuel based virgin plastic in the shrink wrap will also reduce the company’s annual carbon emissions by 465 tonnes.

"In the UK, we are planning to trial new solutions, including packaging made from recycled plastic for its snacks bags.

"This all forms part of PepsiCo Positive, the company’s health and sustainability transformation plan, which includes an ambition of reaching net zero emissions by 2040."

Walkers have also announced plans to reduce the use of virgin (unrecycled) plastic by 40% year-on-year in its manufacturing and distribution operation.

They aim to achieve this goal through investments in a new lighter "stretch film" to wrap around factory pallets carrying crisps before being distributed to retailers.

The new stretch film wrap is said to use the latest nanotechnology which "puts tiny air bubbles into the film to reduce the amount of plastic used, while retaining the same strength and stretch" needed to protect the nation's favourite crisps as they travel to stores across the country.

The brand is a subsidiary of PepsiCo and aims to support the parent company's aim to "eliminate fossil-based plastic from its crisps and snack bags" across Europe by 2030.

The change will affect millions of Walkers 22 and 24-bag multipacks.

Simon Devaney, PepsiCo UK & Ireland's sustainable packaging director, said: "We are constantly exploring new scalable solutions and this investment marks an important step forward, delivering a huge reduction in virgin plastic across some of our best-selling ranges, while also helping to tackle our carbon footprint.

"Reducing virgin plastic across our supply chain is a key part of our commitment to creating a world where packaging never becomes waste."