Won’t somebody think of the chickpeas?
The war on single use plastics has been waged on many fronts, from bottle tops to carrier bags and cutlery to straws. But one recent innovation by British supermarkets has been met with resistance from an unlikely source: hummus lovers.
Sainsbury’s and Tescos have ditched single-use plastic lids on their own-brand hummus pots as part of efforts to reduce waste. For some, however, the move, which is broadly in line with similar efforts to reduce plastic use in the food industry, is beyond the pale.
Shoppers venting their unhappiness about prematurely spoiling dip have called the decision “eco-friendliness gone too far”. Another, writing on X, said: “I’m so baffled about Tesco removing the plastic lid from hummus and replacing it with a flimsy plastic cover which requires me to now cover it with clingfilm or similar. How is that helping anyone?”
The two supermarkets made the decision this month and claim it will help save a combined total of more than 50m pieces of plastic a year – equivalent to about 260 tonnes.
A thin sheet of film similar to lids used on many yoghurts has replaced the rigid plastic lids that clipped on to the pots. Tesco said the change had no impact on product quality or shelf life, advising that the hummus should still be consumed within two days of opening.
But some consumers disagree. One shopper said they had now resorted to wrapping their hummus pots in clingfilm – so, another single-use plastic.
Sainsbury’s said customers could buy reusable lids to keep products such as yoghurt, dips and cottage cheese fresh. The lids, designed to last for several years, are available at Sainsbury’s superstores and online.
Other, more understanding, shoppers have supported the change and found more environmentally friendly ways of storing their food, such as saving lids from previous products.
One said: “In my house, we decant the uneaten hummus into a clean Gü ramekin, then cover it using a recycled lid from a tub of Bisto gravy granules.”
Others recommended learning how to make the dip from scratch or finishing the pot in one sitting.
Helen Bird, the head of material systems transformation for the sustainability charity Wrap, said: “The biggest supermarkets are all working to remove problematic and unnecessary plastic packaging.
“There are many examples of this removal, including lids from dairy products and dips. This is not always as convenient for people as single-use plastic, but there are other solutions, like covering with a small plate.
“There is much more to be done to remove unnecessary packaging, which provide wider benefits to shoppers.”
This latest packaging change is not the first to have angered shoppers. When Sainbury’s vacuum-packed its mince, one customer complained that it resembled a body part. There was similar outcry when a number of supermarkets, including Waitrose and the Co-op, moved from using coloured lids on milk bottles to clear ones.
Many of the big supermarkets are signatories to the UK Plastics Pact, led by Wrap, which has set targets to hit by 2025 that include ensuring that 100% of plastic packaging can be reusable, recyclable or compostable.
A spokesperson for Tesco said: “We have recently removed the lids on our hummus pots as part of our ongoing efforts to tackle plastic waste. This latest change will remove more than 31m pieces of plastic – equivalent to 157 tonnes of plastic a year.”