Sainsbury’s to sell crownless pineapples to reduce waste

Sainsbury’s has introduced crownless pineapples as part of its commitment to reducing waste.

The supermarket claims the move will cut waste by around 700 tonnes annually, adding that it is the first major supermarket to stock the pineapples.

By removing the crown during production, Sainsbury’s said it could fit more of the product into each box it ships to stores, resulting in a reduction of 2,500 boxes transported per year.

The supermarket retailer plans to replant between 25-50 per cent of the removed crowns. If they are too small or damaged they will be used by farmers as animal feed, said the retailer.

“We’re passionate about reducing our impact on the planet wherever we can, and we're always looking for new and unique ways to make bold changes with sustainability in mind,” said Claire Hughes, director of product and innovation. “Our new crownless pineapples may look a little out of the ordinary but they offer very clear benefits in reducing waste and packaging.

“We hope that our customers will embrace the change with the knowledge that this quirky fruit is helping us to repurpose waste within our supply chain, as well as helping to reduce waste in their homes too.”

In April, Sainsbury’s introduced new packaging for beef mince to reduce its plastic content. However, many customers were reportedly displeased by the move as they said that the packaging turned “meat to mush”.

In March, the supermarket also cut the plastic content of its laundry detergent by around 80 per cent.

A number of other UK-based retailers have recently taken steps to improve the sustainability of their products, including M&S which earlier this month became the first supermarket to launch a fully recyclable coffee cup.

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