At Aunt Bessie's, we know our products are loved which is why it is important that we produce them with respect for our resources.
Packaging is important because it protects and conserves the product during transportation, letting us deliver safe and high-quality products to our consumers. Not only does our packaging provide a lasting shelf life, but it also helps with portion size, food waste reduction and clear information.
As packaging is so important, it must be carefully considered and developed.
How do we know that our packaging is up to scratch?
We have a Packaging Policy to guarantee that all Aunt Bessie's packaging is fit for its purpose. For us, that means that our packaging must:
- Be safe for food use
- Avoid excess materials
- Consider the overall impact on the environment
How do we increase the recyclability of our packaging?
Increasing recyclability is very much at the forefront of our packaging agenda. That’s why we’re researching new materials and prioritising materials from renewable sources, primarily paper. We also encourage all our consumers to recycle the packaging after they have enjoyed the food on the inside.
At Aunt Bessie’s all Yorkshire pudding bags and potato bags can be recycled in large supermarkets. We are working hard to get the final products into recyclable packaging.
We are focussed on reducing the environmental impact of our packaging; 91.4% of our consumer packaging is currently recyclable – and we keep improving.
We use On pack recycling labelling (OPRL) logos on our packs to provide consumers with the information needed to recycle their packaging. We need consumers to support recycling packaging so packaging materials can be used again either back in packaging or in another function.
Our target is for 100% of our consumer packaging to be recyclable by the end of 2022.
Reducing Packaging Waste
We believe it’s crucial to work together with local communities and industry bodies to help make a difference. We think this is the best way to make an impact is to minimise our use of packaging where possible.
We have signed the UK Plastics Pact to work towards 100% recyclable packaging, 70% of all plastic packaging being effectively recycled or composted, 30% average recycled content by 2025, while continuing to eliminate problematic or unnecessary single-use packaging through redesign, innovation, or alternative delivery methods.
We have reduced the thickness of our potato bags to reduce the amount of plastic that we use every year.