Sainsbury’s and Dairy Crest plan to begin marketing milk in a “revolutionary” eco-friendly container this week.

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From Wednesday (11 June), Sainsbury’s will sell milk packaged in a recycleable plastic bag in 35 of its stores in an attempt to reduce packaging waste.


The new recycleable bags are made of a strong, low-density plastic and are designed to be placed inside a reuseable jug, which can be purchased from Sainsbury’s for GBP2.49 (US$4.92).


The pouches are opened with a spike that forms a leak-proof seal and can be recycled when empty. A two-pint bag of milk will cost GBP0.80.


It is anticipated that the milk packages, produced in partnership by Sainsbury’s and Dairy Crest, will reduce waste packaging by 75%.

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According to campaign groups, if all the plastic milk bottles in the UK were replaced with recyclable pouches 100,000 tonnes of plastic would be saved from landfill sites each year.


Sainsbury’s had attempted to promote milk sold in pouches seven years ago but was forced to abandon the scheme due to lack of customer interest.


However, a spokesperson for the group told just-food, the supermarket chain believes that current consumer attitudes are more open to the concept.


“Consumers are more ready now because people are much more concerned about their impact on the environment than they were seven years ago,” the spokesperson said.


The retailer said the new packaging will be available in 500 stores within a year.


The move follows Waitrose’s introduction of its own version of milk pouches in February in partnership with Calon Wen, a small Welsh organic farmers’ co-operative.