The kitchen foil, expected to launch this week, is expected to save around 12.5 million cardboard rolls from being produced annually and will save 330 tonnes of cardboard every year
Tesco launches tubeless kitchen foil. (Credit: Tescoplc.com)
British groceries and general merchandise retailer Tesco has rolled out the first coreless and tubeless kitchen foil in the UK in a bid to lower cardboard use in packaging.
The kitchen foil, expected to launch this week, is expected to save around 12.5 million cardboard rolls from being produced annually.
The new product is made using a new advanced rolling machine.
The redesigned aluminium foil is also anticipated to save 330 tonnes of cardboard annually, which is aligned with Tesco’s goal to reduce unnecessary packaging.
Tesco technical manager Bronwen Williams said: “This new machine has revolutionised foil production, saving hundreds of tonnes of cardboard from needlessly being made in the first place.
“We are continually looking at ways in which we can cut down on packaging in order to help the environment and hope, after starting with our top selling kitchen foil line, that we will be able to apply this to the rest of our foil range.”
The new cardboard core-less product is possible as the new equipment enables aluminium foil to be securely rolled around a spindle with air vents.
This foil can be slowly loosened by forcing air into these vents, the retailer said.
Tesco previously introduced toilet rolls with twice the amount of paper in them two years ago. The change was aimed at reducing the amount of plastic packaging by almost 70 tonnes, as the rolls are wound more tightly to conserve space or hold more paper.
Additionally, it introduced upscale soft toilet paper and kitchen towels last week that are manufactured from waste corrugated cards, cardboard tubes from toilet rolls, and recycled cardboard from home delivery boxes.
Paper manufactured with this technology requires less energy and water than paper made with conventional tree fibre, the British grocery and general merchandise retailer claimed.
The move is part of Tesco’s 4Rs packaging policy that addresses the issue of packaging waste. The company has cut packaging by more than 4,500 tonnes since 2020.