Traditional brown paper parcel makes a comeback this Christmas as eco-conscious shoppers turn their backs on bubble-wrap and foil
- Sales of brown paper are up by 600% on last year at supermarket Waitrose
- Revival of brown paper ‘reflects a growing trend for simplicity’, the study said
- Waitrose added that one in five of crackers it sold did not contain a plastic toy
The traditional brown paper parcel is making a comeback this Christmas as shoppers turn their backs on bubble-wrap and foil.
Sales of brown paper are up by 600 per cent on last year at Waitrose, a study commissioned by the Girl Guides found.
Traditional brown paper parcel is making a comeback this Christmas as shoppers turn their backs on bubble-wrap and foil (file image)
It said three out of four families want to reduce waste, but many wrappings contain plastic, foil or glitter, which cannot easily be recycled.
The revival of brown paper ‘reflects a growing trend for simplicity’, the study said. Waitrose added that one in five of the crackers it sold did not contain a plastic toy, and revealed that loose veg had outsold pre-packed for the first time in 20 years.
Buyer Paul Bidwell said: ‘Consumers have become increasingly environmentally conscious and want to buy only what they need.’ The research, from Girlguiding, found 67 per cent of children have asked their parents to use fewer single-use plastic bottles and less plastic food wrapping. And 78 per cent of parents said their family was trying to live more sustainably.
Three out of four families want to reduce waste, but many wrappings contain plastic, foil or glitter, which cannot easily be recycled (file image)