Pringles is making a big change to its tube packaging, saying it will also prevent chips from breaking
Most Brits will be familiar with the famous Pringles tube, but the crisp brand is now making a huge change to its packaging.
In an effort to be more environmentally friendly, and after successful testing, the American stackable chip company has decided to ditch the steel base of its product in favor of a paper version.
The new tube is made from recycled paper and has a paper base, meaning customers can throw it straight into the trash at home. It will have a plastic lid that can also be recycled.
The pack will land exclusively in Tesco stores and online from this week, before being rolled out to other supermarkets in late 2024, but tubes can also be found in One Stop stores.
The eco-friendly Pringles tube makes it easier for customers to include the packaging of their favorite crisps in their household recycling.
Most Brits will be familiar with the famous Pringles tube (pictured) – but the crisp brand is now making a huge change to its packaging
The eco-friendly packaging was tested by the company’s packaging experts to ensure it protects the chips and keeps them fresh for fifteen months, just like the old tin.
The move, which involved an £86 million investment in new technology, follows trials of a steel can in Italy in 2019 and a paper tube in Britain in 2020.
Chris Silcock, managing director of Kellanova – the company that owns Pringles – said: ‘We know people want to reduce their impact on the planet and it is our responsibility to improve the recyclability of our packaging.
‘We’ve worked hard to develop and test a recyclable Pringles paper tube and we’ve invested significantly in new technology to enable our factories to produce it.
‘Not only is it widely recyclable, but it also keeps the chips fresh and tasty and protects them from breakage, helping to reduce food waste.’
Claire Lorains, Tesco’s Group Sustainability and Quality Director said: ‘We want to make it even easier for our customers to recycle, so we’re excited to give them a product they love in a more sustainable way.
‘For our own brand products, where we cannot remove the packaging, we work to ensure it is recyclable, and actively encourage our branded suppliers to do the same.
‘Kellanova’s new paper-based Pringles tube demonstrates the tangible environmental opportunities that exist in food packaging that work for customers and the planet.
A Tesco customer assistant stacks shelves with the new Pringles tube, which is much more environmentally friendly than the older version
“We hope other suppliers will take similar steps to improve the packaging of all the products we sell.”
Paul Sanderson, CEO of the Recycling Association, comments: ‘It has taken a lot of research and development to achieve a completely paper-based tube with a paper end that keeps Pringles crisps as fresh as before.
‘It’s a fantastic example of what can be achieved when manufacturers decide they want to create packaging that is easy for consumers to recycle, and I hope others follow Pringles’ example to help us all move closer to a circular economy .’
The introduction of the recyclable Pringles tube, made from 90 percent paper, is part of Kellanova’s commitment to make all its packaging recyclable, reusable and compostable by 2025.