Marks & Spencer: Plan A

A-Z Packaging

We're working with our suppliers and partners to improve the percentage of our packaging that is recyclable. This A-Z of packaging materials includes information about they are made of and how to dispose of them.

Starch based materials

Starch is a naturally abundant carbohydrate found in corn but also in the seeds, fruits, tubers, roots, and stem pith of plants, potatoes, wheat, and rice. Once the starch is isolated, it can be used to make biodegradable plastic materials.
PLA (Polylactic acid)

A biodegradable and industrially compostable material made using corn starch.
Plantic®

This blend of bioplastics is an alternative to plastic that works well with dry food products such as biscuits and confectionery. It dissolves easily in water so we don't use it for any products which contain moisture.
Post-consumer waste

This describes material that's been returned after consumer use to recycling centres and then sent back to a manufacturing site to be recycled for packaging or other things.
Recycled content board

This describes board that's a mix of recycled board and virgin material. You can see on our packs what the ratio is of recycled board to virgin - for example, a board might have 50% recycled content and this would be stated on the packaging. Our standard is to use a minimum of 50% where we use recycled board.
RHDPE

HDPE stands for High Density Polyethylene, which is used to manufacture milk bottles. The r at the beginning of rHDPE stands for recycled - M&S is now able to use recycled post consumer material in its HDPE. Although we're currently only using 10% recycled content at the moment we’d like to use more buy we can't get enough recycled material. You can help us and your local council by recycling used plastic milk bottles.
Sustainable materials

Materials that are described as 'sustainable' are ones which you can use on an ongoing basis - in other words, you won't be depleting the earth's natural resources by using them continually. Well managed forests, certified by independent organisations such as the FSC, where trees are replanted and reused, can be described as sustainable, too.
Wood pulp

This is made from felled trees, broken up and 'mashed' to make cardboard, which is compostable or recyclable.
Virgin board

This is made from new wood pulp, straight from the forest. To ensure responsible farming and that sustainable forests are used, it needs to be FSC accredited.
rPET

A clear plastic that's good for chilled products. Typically, rPET contains 50% recycled content, which can either come from plastic waste generated in the manufacturing process (pre-consumer waste) or waste that consumers have generated after using the product (post-consumer waste). At M&S, we're aiming to use post-consumer waste where possible. In 2007 63% of our PET had a minimum of 50% recycled content.

For example, we now use rPET in most of our juice bottles, smoothie bottles and salad bowls.

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