UK’s Made By Farmdrop rolls out compostable packaging meal kit delivery service
15 Aug 2019 --- Farmdrop, a UK online grocer with a focus on food sourced by local farmers, fisheries and other producers, has launched its new Made By Farmdrop range of pre-prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner meals made with seasonal ingredients. The company says they are sourced sustainably and wrapped in 100 percent plastic-free packaging. In line with the rollout, the brand is educating consumers on the proper disposal of its packaging.
“Convenience food packaging remains frustratingly unrecyclable or non-compostable. With Britons consuming up to 1.5 billion ready meals every year, that’s a heck of a lot of plastic sent to landfill,” notes the grocer. “Here at Farmdrop, we have been working hard to reduce the amount of single-use plastic in our deliveries, which is why we’ve got a meal range with 100 percent plastic-free packaging, using materials that are either recyclable or compostable.”
The company has issued the following instructions outlining the proper disposal of its meal containers:
- Glass jars with lid: Reuse or recycle your jars, or wash and return them in your next Farmdrop delivery with or without the label. If you want to remove the labels and sticker, dispose of them by putting them in your recycling bin.
- Compostable tray and inner lining: Together, the tray and inner lining are compostable and can be disposed of in your food waste bin. If you don’t have a food waste collection in your area, peel out the lining and put it in your general waste, then recycle the tray.
- Compostable film: Tear off the compostable plastic-free film from the tray and put it in your food waste bin. If you don’t have one, put the film into general waste. The same rule applies for the compostable paper labels with sticker that you’ll find on the film, and the compostable sachets that contain dressings and sauces.
Farmdrop seeks to cut single-use plastics with its 100 percent plastic-free packaging meal kits.Leading grocers phase out single-use packaging
Many leading brands this year are backing the plastic reduction trend, contributing to a gradual phase out of industry-generated waste. According to investigations by UK charity Which?, roughly 48 percent of packaging used by major UK supermarket chains cannot be easily recycled. In their report, the average percentage of packaging – including cardboard, glass and plastics – that could be easily put in household recycling bins was just 52 percent. Furthermore, 42 percent of the total supermarket packaging was labeled either incorrectly or not at all, making it difficult for consumers to dispose of correctly and increasing the chances of it ending up in a landfill.
Farmdrop's Chargrilled Chicken Ceasar Salad.
Earlier this month, it was announced that UK grocer Waitrose & Partners is set to extend its packaging-free shopping experience – dubbed “Unpacked” – in Oxford beyond the original end date of 18 August, following an “overwhelmingly positive” response to its bring-your-own packaging trial. The chain has also committed to introducing elements of the concept at three more establishments by the end of the year.
Waitrose & Partners also launched an Italian ready meal range in new fiber-based trays from Finnish food packaging supplier Huhtamaki. The new trays – called Fresh – are microwaveable and ovenable and intended to provide a more sustainable alternative to black plastic. Additionally, the packaging is recyclable and certified for home composting.
Last May, retailer Morrisons announced plans to introduce plastic-free fruit and vegetable zones across many of its UK stores. Customers will be able to choose from up to 127 varieties of fresh produce and buy them loose or put them in recyclable paper bags.
These moves build on the numerous advances made in the UK last year to cut down the levels of plastic waste generated by supermarkets. During last year’s holiday period, for example, the government launched a consultation to increase the 5p plastic bag charge to 10p and to extend the scheme to all retailers in the nation.
By Benjamin Ferrer
