Quality Street goes plastic-free this Christmas

Nestlé has worked with Smurfit Westrock to launch a paper-based tub for the iconic sweets, reportedly the ‘first of its kind’ to hit supermarket shelves.

The redesign followed on from the manufacturer switching to paper wrappers for the Quality Street sweets in 2022, a move that help divert more than two billion wrappers from landfill. Now, both the box itself and the wrappers can be put into household recycling at the end of use.

Surfit’s redesign also enabled more boxes to fit on a pallet, a move that could lead to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions – for example, less space on a pallet means more boxes can be shipped in a single truck, reducing the number of trucks on the road.

Functionality and sustainability

Saverio Mayer, chief executive of Smurfit Westrock’s Europe, MEA & APAC business, said: “The innovative new tub we created in collaboration with Nestlé is an excellent example of how a paper-based replacement can bring a host of benefits across design, functionality and of course sustainability. ​

“We knew that this iconic brand needed a stand-out solution that would look the part on shelf as well as seamlessly integrate into consumers’ household recycling. It will hopefully appeal to the growing number of consumers who are seeking more sustainable packaging for their favourite products.”​

The new packaging retains the ‘signature’ hexagonal shape and purple colour of the Quality Street tub and will be sold alongside the traditional plastic version in selected Tesco stores. Both products are the same size and contain the same weight of chocolates.

Industry first

Jemma Handley, senior brand manager for Quality Street, added: “We’re looking forward to seeing what Quality Street fans make of the paper tub. A lot of care and hard work has gone into the trial and we’re proud to be the first major manufacturer to trial a paper tub at Christmas. ​

“The beautiful design has been devised specifically for a paper product and we love how it looks, and of course, shoppers can expect the same great tasting Quality Street sweets that they know and love inside.”​

Meanwhile, more than half of the food found in UK supermarkets is packaged in unnecessary plastic​​ that could be replaced with alternatives, according to a new report from sustainable packaging firm DS Smith.