All own-label products in these ranges will be glitter-free or use an environmentally friendly alternative by Christmas 2020.
Waitrose said three-quarters of its own-label cards, wraps, crackers and tags, along with half of its flowers and plastics, are already glitter-free.
“Reducing the impact of plastics on the environment is something our customers care passionately about,” said Waitrose’s head of CSR, health and agriculture, Tor Harris.
“While it’s important to eliminate the use of glitter, we’ll find other ways to make sure our products sparkle at Christmas and throughout the year.”
All that glitters is not gold
Glitter is made up of tiny pieces of plastic, which can end up in the water where they are difficult to break down.
A number of nursery schools and music festivals are already glitter-free, while BBC 1’s Strictly Come Dancing has banned the use of traditional glitter on the programme.
Waitrose was the first supermarket in 2016 to remove plastics in its beauty products by switching to biodegradable paper from plastic cotton buds. The retailer has also brought forward its goal to make all own-brand packaging widely recycled, reusable or home compostable from 2025 to 2023.
Waitrose claims it will replace around 11,000 tonnes of non-recycled plastic within those two years with more sustainable alternatives. In October, Waitrose announced a trial of innovative, fibre-based packaging across its range of Italian ready meals.
George Ogleby