Tesco stores across Glasgow will replace plastic-wrapped multipacks with plastic-free multibuys on tinned food - eliminating 350 tonnes of plastic from the environment.
The supermarket chain has announced it will become the first UK retailer to do so, which means tins will be available individually, with no plastic wrap holding them together any more.
It is estimated some 183,000 tinned multipacks are bought every day at Tesco, with more than 40% of customers buying multipacks of items such as baked beans, tuna, and soup in their shop.
And it is estimated that the change, which applies to both Tesco own brand products and branded products, will help more than eight million homes in the UK reduce the amount of plastic they use.
Tesco CEO Dave Lewis said: “We are removing all unnecessary and non-recyclable plastic from Tesco.
"This is part of our plan to remove 1 billion pieces of plastic in 2020.”
Meanwhile Paula Chin, sustainable materials specialist at WWF, said: “WWF supports Tesco’s steps in the fight against plastic pollution.
"If we want to protect nature we need more businesses to follow Tesco’s lead, before we run out of time to fight for our world".
Tesco’s 4Rs strategy – Remove, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - means it will remove non-recyclable and excess packaging from its business. Where packaging can’t be removed - for example where it prevents food waste - Tesco will work with its suppliers to reduce it to an absolute minimum.
The retailer will explore new opportunities to reuse packaging and ensure anything left is recycled as part of a closed loop system.
At the end of last year Tesco removed all hard-to-recycle materials from Tesco own brand products and is working with suppliers to do the same. In August last year, Tesco also briefed 1500 suppliers that packaging will be a factor in its decisions on which products are sold in its stores.
The move was trialled with customers in Tesco’s Bar Hill Extra store near Cambridge and will roll out across all Tesco stores from March 2.
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