Kingsmill becomes first bakery brand to use recycled content in packaging

Kingsmill, manufactured in Stockport by Allied Bakeries, has become the first bread brand in the UK to incorporate recycled content in its packaging.

The move comes following a commitment earlier this year on a number of community and environmental issues. New packaging for the brand’s 50/50 crustless loaves will now use 30% recycled materials to manufacture their packaging, making Kingsmill the first brand to do so.

The new packaging has been developed in collaboration with Kingsmill packaging partners, St Johns Packaging, and uses advanced technology to recycle used and mixed plastics. The bread bags themselves are also recyclable at soft plastic recycling drops available at some supermarkets alongside plastic shopping bags.

The new packaging being piloted by Kingsmill is the first new initiative announced since the launch of the brand’s Slice of Kindness Pledge, which also sees the firm championing kerbside collection of soft plastics, including its bread packaging, as well as a number of other social and environmental issues.

Chris Craig, Kingsmill’s joint managing director said:

“Trialling quantities of recycled content across our 50/50 No Crusts loaf is a major milestone in this journey. To roll the trial out on a permanent basis as we hope, we need more soft plastic to be recycled, which means recyclers need to build up their capacity and infrastructure to meet demand.

“We want bread bags to be readily recycled as part of a consistent household kerbside collection, and then re-processed into other materials to ensure the bags remain in the recycling loop. We are calling for all parties, from other bakery brands and our supply chains to wider industry partners and government, to work together in driving positive, lasting change.

“For now, we continue to urge everyone to take their soft plastics to their nearest recycling points at larger supermarkets.”