The Dutch retailer Jumbo is doing away with the plastic packaging of locally grown red peppers and cucumbers. Plastic wrapping on spring onions is also scheduled to be removed by spring of this year.
The store says the change will help them eliminate 51,000kg of plastic annually, which is equivalent to giving up 142 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Jumbo wants to reduce the amount of packaging by 20% by 2025 compared to 2020. They are working with others in the supply chain on how to use less packaging or carry materials of proper use of packaging.
They did stop using free plastic bags for potatoes, vegetables and fruits. Instead, they use reusable bottles for recycled goods, which they say saves 35 million plastic bags a year.
Jumbo also wants to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030. And by 2050, they want to be fully climate-neutral in their stores and products.
They said it’s really important now to show what makes them different. They stick to their business plan for next year, “Jumbo as Jumbo intended it to be.”
In 2023, Jumbo reported revenues of €11.02 billion, up 7.3%. However, most of this growth was due to inflation and was lower than the market growth rate in the Netherlands of 7.6%.