Taking a responsible approach to the packaging we use is a fundamental part of Plan A.

Packaging has an important role to play - keeping food safe to eat, for example, as well as undamaged in transit. It can also help prevent food waste: under-packaged food can have a shorter shelf life, which may lead to it being thrown away.

Responsible packaging is all about looking at the total picture: not over- or under-packaging, and using the right materials from sustainable sources.

The 4 key targets we've set ourselves are:

• to reduce our non-glass product packaging by 25% by 2012
• to use only recyclable or compostable packaging by 2012
• to use more sustainable raw materials in our packaging
• to put clear and honest labelling on our packaging, telling you about its recyclability

We've been working on reducing our packaging, and putting more recycled content into it, for many years. Since we launched Plan A in January 2007, we've focused on this even more and it’s now one of our key commitments.

Between April 2007 and May 2008, we managed to save 1402 tonnes of packaging - that’s the equivalent of 255 elephants! And that's in spite of the fact that recycled packaging is actually heavier than 'virgin' packaging in some materials.

To help us identify the areas that urgently needed attention, we went back to basics: listening to our customers, walking around our food hall with the Government agency WRAP and the Women’s Institute to see which products had unnecessary packaging. Read about some of the ones we found here.

It may not be immediately obvious that the packaging’s been reduced - on our cucumbers, for instance, you might think it’s exactly the same. But just by reducing the thickness of the pack by 20%, we can save 7 tonnes a year.

The other thing to remember is that in some cases, we've made a change for the better by adding recycled content instead. In October 2007, 68% of our food packaging was widely recyclable (that means 65% or more people could recycle it easily across the UK). By May 2008, that figure had gone up to 74%, with a further 17% of our food packaging being recyclable where the local facilities are available.

Taking packaging away isn't always the answer - it might lead to using extra packaging in the supply chain, while the product's being transported to our stores. It can lead to food waste, too.

Our approach is a balanced one - it's all about being responsible.

Look out for the new label on some of our products were we have reduced packaging.

To read our Packaging Charter click here