Our budding contribution to cleaner oceans

Our budding contribution to cleaner oceans

Sainsbury’s is helping to rid the seas of plastic by becoming the first retailer to make its cotton buds fully biodegradable.

We have committed to remove 100% of plastics from our own-brand cotton buds. This involves using paper stems not plastic ones, and replacing the glue that holds the bud to the stem with a biodegradable substance which – unlike common strong adhesives – will be 100% plastic-free.

We are in talks to find the right glue and, when we have identified an alternative, we will share it so other producers can follow suit.

Making a huge difference

Sainsbury’s sells more than 300 million own-brand cotton buds every year, so our action will make a huge difference, removing approximately 55 tonnes of plastic from production.

“These changes from Sainsbury’s will have a huge impact on marine health.”

Dr Clare Cavers
Research Officer for environmental charity Fidra

Judith Batchelar, Director of Sainsbury’s Brand, said: “We’re always looking for ways to make our products more sustainable and switching to a biodegradable adhesive for our own brand cotton buds is a great example, furthering our promise to remove the plastic stems.

“Openness and sharing within the industry is going to be key in driving the uptake of sustainable choices, which is why we are committed to sharing the new biodegradable glue once it’s developed.”

55

tonnes of plastic removed from production, thanks to our new cotton buds

Many cotton buds end up in the sea as consumers flush them down the toilet rather than disposing of them in household waste. This is despite on-pack warnings advising that buds should not be flushed away.

The Marine Conservation Society’s 2016 Big Beach Clean Report found that the number of cotton bud sticks on UK beaches had doubled since 2012, with the average leaping from 11 every 100 metres to 24.

Cleaner seas

Paper cotton buds

Our move means that neither plastic stems nor the plastic-based adhesive will end up in the sea. We will also increase the prominence of the ‘do not flush’ warnings on the front of packs, to encourage correct disposal.

Dr Clare Cavers, Research Officer for environmental charity Fidra, commented: “Cotton buds should always be bagged and binned but we know that many people still flush them away.

“These changes from Sainsbury’s will have a huge impact on marine health, especially with their pledge to share the revised formula with competitors.”