Morrisons bringing back paper wrapping for flower bouquets

Morrisons is bringing back paper wrapping for its bouquets and taking off the plastic wrapping as part of its plastic reduction programme.

Paper is the traditional wrap for bouquets and still used by some florists. It can protect the stems just as well as plastic until the flowers can be placed in a vase.

The changeover, that will be complete in 2019, will save 925 tonnes of plastic a year, and follows listening to customers who say reducing plastic should be one of Morrisons’ priorities.

The new paper being used on Morrisons bouquets is called ‘hydro paper’ which has wax mixed into it making it waterproof. It’s also FSC certified and 100% recyclable.

Standard Morrisons bouquets will be the first to switch to the new paper wrap in September, with single flower bunches and Morrisons The Best following in early 2019.

Drew Kirk, category rirector of produce and horticulture, said: “Customers are telling us they’d like us to reduce the amount of unnecessary plastic packaging we use. The new paper wrap does exactly the same job as plastic and looks just as good. More importantly though, it keeps a large amount of plastic out of the environment.”

The war on plastic pollution

Morrisons has recently announced a number of measures to reduce plastic use which include:

Enabling customers to bring their own containers to Morrisons Butchers and Fishmongers counters

• https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/1/business-news/119089/morrisons-launches-new-measures-to-tackle-plastic-pollution

Moving all loose fruit & veg to be sold in paper rather than plastic bags

• https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/119902/morrisons-brings-back-paper-bags-in-latest-fight-against-plastic

Removing plastic sleeves from cucumbers

• https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/121675/retailers-remove-plastic-from-selected-vegetables