Supermarket ditches tinned tomatoes to slash waste

Sainsbury’s basics tinned tomatoes are now only going to be sold in cartons rather than cans, according to the chain’s bosses.

They believe the move, for their highest selling non-fresh item, will reduce packaging by half a million kilos every year.

Switch to carton will also, store chiefs believe, help the supermarket achieve its target of reducing packaging by a third by 2015, while reducing carbon emissions by 156 tonnes a year.

Sainsbury’s head of packaging, Stuart Lendrum, said: “This type of carton is a strong challenger to the traditional tin can in many ways, and may well pose a threat to its dominance over the coming years.

“Packaging basics chopped tomatoes this way will make life easier for customers as they will take up less space in cupboards, while at the same time, the environmental impact of those tomatoes will be a lot lower.

“Also, as they can be packed more tightly, more will fit onto a lorry meaning fewer journeys are required to move them around the country.”

Luke Walsh