The new packaging was inspired by sandwich packaging.  

It involves a recyclable cardboard container with a small amount of plastic film and replaces the previous plastic sleeve, which was difficult to recycle. 

M&S said the plastic film on the new pack was “just enough to preserve the freshness of the tomatoes and still enable the pack to be recycled as cardboard in a household recycling bin”.

The new packaging is being rolled out on Piccolo, Pomodolci and Capella tomatoes in-store and via Ocado. 

Andrew Clappen, technical director at M&S Food, commented: “At M&S we know our customers are deeply concerned about the environment and rightly expect us to make our products as sustainable as possible. That’s why we’re exploring recyclable packaging alternatives for our products, which also help us to meet our plastic reduction targets.”

M&S has pledged to remove 1bn units of plastic food packaging by 2027. It’s estimated the new tomato packaging will remove 8m units by the end of the year.

The retailer’s Plan A sustainability action plan includes a target for 100% of its food packaging to be widely recyclable by 2025. 

Mansfield-headquartered Reflex Group is celebrating 20 years in business this year. It has more than 20 sites across the UK and Europe and posted sales of £123m in its most recent results, to 28 February 2021. Since then it has acquired Macfarlane’s label business, adding sales of around £22m. 

The group’s ambition is to become the world’s most sustainable packaging company.