Today (4 April), Walkers announced the rollout of paper outer bags for all Snack A Jacks multipacks, aiming to decrease its use of virgin plastic by 65 tonnes annually.
The new packaging, set to debut in the next month, will cover popular Snack A Jacks flavors such as Salt & Vinegar, Sour Cream & Chive and BBQ.
These paper bags are designed for easy recycling at home and kerbside collections.
Additionally, the transition to paper bags is expected to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per pack by 52%.
Snack A Jacks’ marketing manager Hannah Freeman said: “Easily recycled with your usual household paper recycling, these new outer packs can be disposed of thoughtfully with little fuss.
“We hope our devoted fans of Snack A Jacks will enjoy this small but important change we’ve made to make their snacking experience even more enjoyable at home.”
This initiative is part of PepsiCo Positive, the health and sustainability transformation plan from Walkers’ parent company, with a headline goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.
PepsiCo Europe plans to eliminate fossil-based plastic in crisp and snack bags by 2030, applying to UK brands including Snack A Jacks, Walkers, Doritos, Quavers, Wotsits and Pipers, using 100% recycled or renewable materials.
PepsiCo’s UK packaging sustainability lead Gareth Callan said: “Our outer paper multibag packs are working well on Walkers Baked, giving us the confidence to roll out this format across more of our snacks brands.”
Last year, Walkers launched paper packaging for all Walkers Baked multipacks, with an aim to reduce its consumption of virgin plastic in outer packaging by approximately 180 tonnes per year.
The British Crisp Co
In related news, the British Crisp Co has introduced what it claims to be the ‘world’s first’ fully recyclable paper crisp packet, in collaboration with EvoPak, a paper-based packaging manufacturer.
This packaging, developed over three years, combines paper and HydropolTM, a material developed by Aquapak Polymers, with a thin layer of vacuum-deposited aluminium to maintain crisp freshness while preserving recyclability.
The bags will feature the ‘Recycle’ logo and the message – ‘I’m Paper, Recycle Me’, and will be launched in the coming months across the UK.
The new packaging will roll out for three of the British Crisp Co’s most popular flavours – Sea Salt, Salt & Vinegar and Cheese & Onion.
The British Crisp Co’s founder Tom Lock said: “We are delighted to be the world’s first crisp brand to bring to market a fully recyclable paper pack.
“In addition, we make our crisps on a UK farm that not only grows its own potatoes but is powered by renewable energy. So we like to say that our crisps don’t just taste good, they do good too.”