Nestle trials paper tubs for Quality Street

Christmas-favourite sweet brand Quality Street is reported to be launching paper tubs in selected Tesco stores as a first step to cut virgin plastic.

According to a latest report by The Guardian, Nestle is producing about 200,000 of the paper tubs which will go on sale in selected Tesco stores from next week. After years of shrinking containers, this year the product has the same weight and recommended price of £5.50.

Nestle claims the tub, in the signature Quality Street purple, has a “luxurious design, and feel, and is embellished with gold foil”. It also has an “integrated re-close feature”.

“We’re looking forward to seeing what Quality Street fans make of the paper tub,” said Jemma Handley, a senior brand manager for Quality Street. “A lot of care and hard work has gone into the trial and we’re proud to be the first major manufacturer to trial a paper tub at Christmas.”

The “beautiful design” has been devised specifically for a paper product and shoppers could expect the “same great tasting Quality Street sweets that they know and love inside”, she said.

Nestlé said it would be “evaluating the tub’s popularity with shoppers” and also taking on board feedback from Tesco staff who will be on the frontline dealing with this change.

The shake-up is part of a wider industry drive to make its packaging more sustainable. Nestle 2022 move to paper twist-wrapped sweets kept 2bn wrappers a year out of landfill.