Quorn makes first steps to remove black plastic from packaging, eliminating 297 tonnes of non-recyclable plastic from its supply chain

As a brand dedicated to sustainability, Quorn leads® the industry in the reduction of non-recyclable plastic waste and moves one step closer to achieving 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging by 2025.

Today (6 June 2018) Quorn announces its ground-breaking move to eliminate more than 297 tonnes of black plastic packaging from its supply chain by the end of June 2018. This step is part of the wider focus of the Quorn brand to be a leader in sustainable nutrition and is the first such significant effort to reduce, and eventually eliminate, black plastic from its supply chain by a major food brand.

Quorn is proud to take a different approach to making delicious and nutritious foods. Using an alternative, high quality protein source, Quorn is at the forefront of diversifying the modern diet, as the fastest growing food brand in the UK*, whilst improving the wellbeing of the environment and our planet, and creating more sustainable solutions for food security.

With the April 2017 WRAP announcement that black plastic was not being recycled by local authorities instead being sent to landfill, the company’s packaging strategy group met to formulate a plan to remove black plastic from its supply chain as quickly as possible.

As a result, Quorn is pleased to announce its ongoing plans to eliminate unrecyclable black plastic from its products. Since April 2018, black plastic has been phased out of the majority of Quorn packaging, including some of its bestselling products such as chilled Quorn Mince and Pieces. In June 2018, in-store packaging of the vast majority of the chilled range will move to white and opaque recyclable plastics. This change will replace 297 tonnes of black plastic with clear and opaque, recyclable alternatives, supporting the WRAP initiative against unsustainable packaging.

Quorn, the brand that offers a delicious, nutritious protein source, is highly sustainable, with products like Quorn Mince producing 95% less GHG emissions, 94% less land usage and 92% water usage than the beef mince equivalent. The brand, which is exported globally to 20 different markets, is black plastic free because it is impossible to recyle black plastic in the UK. As the first global meat alternative brand to be awarded the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Footprint, this initiative will also improve the brand’s sustainable credentials further.

Quorn Foods CEO, Kevin Brennan said “As a founding signatory of WRAP’s UK Plastic Pact, we are very excited to announce this positive change towards increased sustainability of our products. Moving so quickly to remove black plastic is a significant challenge, but one that, as a sustainable company, we view as being of the utmost importance. We view this as the right thing to do, despite the six-figure cost.

Our customers will be able to continue enjoying Quorn as part of a balanced and healthy diet, knowing that we are committed to reducing all forms of food waste in our supply chain and to promoting and advancing sustainability without passing the cost onto consumers”.

For more information please contact quorn@taylorherring.com or 0208 206 5151