Major Tesco move to cut multipack plastic will offer shoppers more choice when buying drinks

25 July 2022

Shoppers are to be given more freedom of choice when buying multipack drinks as part of a major move by Tesco to save 45 million pieces of plastic a year. 

The good news for customers is that even though the supermarket is scrapping multipacks of its own label drinks, individual cans will continue to be sold at the same price per unit as a part of a multi-buy promotion.  

And instead of having to buy multiples of the same product, shoppers will be able to mix and match purchases including lemonade, cola, ginger beer, soda and tonic water. 

The supermarket has stepped up its campaign against unnecessary plastic by removing the multipack wrap from many of its own brand food and drinks.  

Initially 12 million pieces of plastic a year will be saved from use on all own-brand canned fizzy drinks.   

The multipacks of 4s used to cost £1 – now the price is 50p a can or four for £1.  

In addition, a further 33 million pieces of plastic will be removed in the autumn as plastic multipacks are removed from kids’ lunchbox drinks, energy drinks, water and fruit juices. 

Tesco Head of Packaging Development Johnny Neville said: 

“Customers are focused on getting great value right now, but they still want to use less plastic.  

Not only is this move great news for the environment but it will also offer customers more choice and flexibility when it comes to fizzy drinks – at no extra cost. It could even work out much cheaper for customers who want a variety of drinks.”    

“Basically it’s more choice, same value but less plastic!”  

This is the latest in a series of actions against multipack plastic -  

• In January 2020, Tesco saved 67 million pieces of plastic a year by removing multipack wraps from all of its tins, including branded and own-brand beans, soup and tuna. 
• In May 2021, Tesco stopped selling beers and ciders in soft plastic multipack wraps, as part of a move which saved 50 million pieces of plastic a year. 

Tesco’s 4Rs packaging strategy aims to remove plastic where it can, reduce where it can't, reuse more and recycle what's left. 

Since the launch of the 4Rs strategy in August 2019, Tesco has removed 1.7bn pieces and further reduced packaging by more than 3000 tonnes from its annual footprint. Fruit juices, crisps and cheese are all among the products now being produced using less plastic.  

ENDS 

Notes to editors: 

The 4Rs are underpinned by an industry leading Red/Amber/Green list of Preferred Materials and Formats. The list is based on UK recycling capabilities, infrastructure and end of life outcomes.  

It is a simple demonstration of the packaging types Tesco want to use. Tesco has pressed suppliers to remove all ‘red’ materials and refused to stock new products that contain ‘red’ materials, as customers cannot easily recycle them in the UK. 

Tesco has redesigned over 2000 tonnes of packaging to improve recyclability and has doubled the amount of recycled content in its own brand plastic packaging.  

Affected products include: 

Tesco Pure Orange Juice Smooth    4 X 1 litre

Tesco Pure Apple Juice  4 X 1 Litre

Tesco Nas Orange Crush  4 X 330M L

Tesco Diet Lemonade  4 X 330ML

Tesco Nas Ginger Beer  4 X 330ML

Tesco Lemon And Lime Zero 4 X 330ML

Tesco Nas Crème Soda  4 X 330ML

Tesco Lemonade 4 X 330ML

Tesco Diet Cloudy Lemonade 4 X 330ML

Tesco Nas Bitter Shandy  4 X 330ML

Tesco Pink Lemonade 4 X 330ML

Growers Harvest Apple Juice  3 X 200ML

Tesco Pure Apple Juice3 X 200ML

Tesco Smooth Orange Juice 3 X 200ML

Tesco Pure Apple Juice 5 X 150ML

Growers Harvest Orange Juice 3 X 200ML

Tesco Pure Orange Juice 5 X 150ML

Tesco Fruit Splash Apple & Blackcurrant  4 X 250ML

Tesco Fruit Splash Summerfruit 4 X 250ML

Tesco Fruit Splash Apple 4 X 250ML

Tesco Still Water Apple & Raspberry 4 X 300ML

Tesco Apple & Mango Juice FC 3 X 200ML

Tesco Still Water Blackcurrant 4 X 300ML

Tesco Fruit Splash Orange 4 X 250ML

Tesco Pineapple Juice 3 X 200ML

Tesco Still Water Orange & Pineapple Nas 4 X 300ML

Tesco Isotonic Sports Drink Orange 4 X 500ML

Tesco Isotonic Sports Drink Raspberry 4 X 500ML

Wow Hydrate Protein Summer Fruits 4 X 500ML

Tesco Blue Spark Sugar Free 24 X 250ML

Wow Hydrate Protein Tropical 4 X 500ML

Tesco Ashbeck Sparkling Water 4 X 2L

Tesco Apple & Raspberry Nas Sparkling Water 4 X 500ML

Tesco – Strawberry Flavoured Still Water 4 X 500ML

Tesco Elmhurst Natural Mineral Sparkling Water 4 X 2L

Tesco Lemon & Lime Flavoured Still Water 4 X 500ML

ENDS