The new lids are made of bagasse which is derived from sugar cane stalks. The initiative will remove more than eight million single-use plastic items from SSP’s own-brand supply chain each year. Placed side-by-side, the current lids would also stretch 792km – longer than the distance from Aberdeen to Bournemouth.
Kari Daniels, chief executive of SSP UK & Ireland, said: “This is a significant step forward in our sustainability journey. Making the move to bagasse lids not only reduces our reliance on plastic but, because the plants can regrow, we are securing the longevity of our supply chain from renewable sources.”
SSP is committed to eliminating all unnecessary single-use plastics from its own-brand packaging and ensuring 100% is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. The company has already switched its own-brand cold drinks cups to rPET, which includes recycled material.