Boots pharmacy customers are demanding action as it emerged some prescriptions are being handed to patients in plastic bags.
The health and beauty chain, headquartered in Beeston, has signed up to an initiative aimed at tackling plastic waste.
But it is now under fire as it was confirmed some prescriptions which are dispensed centrally - mainly repeat prescriptions - are placed in plastic packaging.
The company, which is looking to reduce its plastic use, says most medication is still dispensed in paper bags, but the plastic packaging is more robust and protects confidential information when in transit.
Many customers have vented their frustration online about Boots' use of plastic.
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Among them was deputy leader of the Labour Party, Tom Watson, who Tweeted: "Your customers are rightly livid and baffled."
Shadow Transport Minister, Karl Turner, added: "Well I won’t be using Boots UK for prescriptions from now on given that they’ve apparently moved from paper medicine bags to plastic to save costs?"
Financial journalist and broadcaster, Paul Lewis, meanwhile, said: "Boots UK signed up to the UK Plastics Pact last year and said at the time it was "committed to reducing single-use plastic".
"But now it has replaced its paper bags with single use plastic ones because robots pack repeat prescriptions."
Addressing the reaction to the use of plastic bags, author Melissa Harrison said: "I know these relatively small things aren't going to save the world, but man alive, I love watching the wave of energy that's prompting people to demand change."
Boots said some repeat prescriptions were assembled at a Dispensing Support Pharmacy in Preston and they are filled by a machine.
In a statement, Boots insisted the use of plastic packaging is not a cost-cutting measure and that they are recyclable.
A spokesperson told Nottinghamshire Live: "For 170 years we have demonstrated a commitment to operating as a socially responsible business, and continue to work very actively to reduce the impact that we have on the environment.
"Our centralised pharmacy helps free our pharmacists' time to allow them to do more services for our patients and we have been doing this since 2014.
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"It is not a cost-saving measure. Central dispensing accounts for less than 8% of our total dispensing; the overwhelming majority of our prescriptions are still dispensed in paper bags.
"Our centralised pharmacy uses bags that are 100 percent recyclable. These bags mean that we can deliver medicines to patients in a way that is safe, clean, dry and durable.
"For the last few months we have been looking at alternative packaging options that have the same qualities, and we will move to these as soon as we can. This takes a little time as machines need to be made and commissioned that will work safely and effectively."
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In a previous interview, Sebastian James, managing director of the company, told Nottinghamshire Live the company was working to reduce plastic from its Christmas gift range, as well as providing more upmarket bags for products in-store.
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