Selfridges Christmas range, which includes mince pies and Christmas cake, will now be packaged in 100% plastic-free material. Plastic that had been used in trays, bags and product windows has been replaced with recyclable card and a home compostable cellulose film called NatureFlex.
The NatureFlex alternative has been developed by Futamura and looks like plastic but is made from responsibly sourced wood pulp and takes eight to 10 weeks to decompose in home composts.
The cellulose film, made in Cumbria, has achieved certified status to the European (EN13432) and American (ASTM D6400) norms for industrially compostable packaging. In addition, the material has been certified by TÜV Austria to the OK Compost Home standard for home composting.
The packaging also features a sticker highlighting to consumers that it can be composted along with food waste.
As a result, around 90,000 individual mince pies and 3,000 Christmas cakes will no longer be wrapped in plastic.
Selfridges’ director of sustainability Daniella Vega said: “We know our customers share our concern for the environment and we’re continually looking at ways in which we can address the sustainability of our products as part of our Buying Better, Inspiring Change approach which sits at the heart of our business strategy.
“This includes reducing our plastic use and introducing more sustainable products and packaging. NatureFlex is an incredible alternative; it looks just like plastic but can be easily popped into the food waste bin or home compost after use. We look forward to introducing this innovative product to our customers and helping them to tackle plastic waste this festive season.”
The retailer will be rolling out NatureFlex to a selection of its all-year-round biscuits and cakes.