Tag: plastic-free

Plastic free, environmentally friendly Nuud chewing gum goes on sale at Morrisons

Morrisons customers will be able to get their hands on plastic-free chewing gum this week as Nuud Chewing Gum hits the shelves.  

Nuud Founder, Keir Carnie, pitched his plant-based product to Morrisons as part of its Growing British Brands programme and is now the first brand to launch as part of it.  The programme aims to support entrepreneurs in developing their businesses offering them mentorship, business advice and ultimately, a space on shelves nationwide. 

The spearmint Nuud Chewing Gum is plant-based, biodegradable and free from plastic and sugar.  The packaging is made from cardboard and fully-recyclable at home and is available in all Morrisons stores for £1.50 per pack. 

Morrisons continues to reduce the use of plastic and identifying sustainable brands is one of the aims of The Growing British Brands programme.  Unlike regular chewing gums, Nuud is 100% plastic free and biodegradable, breaking down just like a banana skin. It can also be composted.

Keir had previously appeared on BBC Two show Dragon’s Den but failed to secure investment as the Dragons felt the big-brand competitors had too tight a grip on the market. 

Morrisons disagreed and were won over by Nuud’s sustainability credentials and Keir’s desire to solve the problem of hidden plastics in regular chewing gum as well as the litter problems and environmental issues it can cause.

Darren Smith, Senior Sourcing & Local Ranging Manager at Morrisons, commented: “We think Keir has a fantastic product that is just what our customers are looking for. Reducing plastics is consistently highlighted as one of the top issues our customers care about and as a business we want to identify and work with sustainable brands of the future. 

“Keir was the perfect candidate for our Growing British Brands programme and we’re excited that Nuud is the first brand to launch as part of it. We look forward to helping Keir scale up his business.”

Keir Carnie, Nuud Founder, said: “We’re incredibly proud that Nuud is the first brand launching on the Growing British Brands programme.

“Our innovative plastic free, plant based chewing gum is perfect for those seeking a natural and planet friendly freshener. The Morrisons team has been so supportive in planning for this partnership, and we’re really pleased to join them on the mission to offer healthy and sustainable alternatives to Morrisons customers.”

Morrisons is continuing to look for more exciting brands to join its Growing British Brands programme. Entrepreneurs and businesses can apply at: 

https://www.morrisons-corporate.com/suppliers/supplying-morrisons/

The UK’s first ever plastic-free shop of its kind, right here in Leith

The Leith Collective leads the way in making 2021 the year of going green

As far as New Year’s resolutions go, to become the UK’s first ever plastic-free shop of its kind is quite an ambitious one. But local business owner, Sara Thomson, is determined to kick off 2021 in the most environmentally friendly way possible, and she’s hoping other businesses will be inspired to follow suit.

Sara is the founder of The Leith Collective which showcases the work of more than 120 artists and makers from all over Scotland, brought together by a common aim to reuse, recycle, reclaim, and resell items that may otherwise have been destined for landfill. As of 1st January 2021, The Leith Collective will ban all new plastic in its Edinburgh store.

However, it is a task that has proved to be more difficult than first expected according to Sara: ‘There is plastic in so many everyday things – things you would never have imagined contain plastic; it can be incredibly deceptive. So we’ve had our work cut out for us researching and sourcing alternatives.’

From re-imagining their visual displays and finding upcycled and biodegradable packaging, right down to the finer details such as switching to non-plastic sticky tape and barcode stickers, they’ve thought of everything.

Describing how it all started, Sara explained; ‘The idea came to me during Lockdown. It was amazing going for a walk each day and seeing nature flourish untouched, right before my eyes. Then came the stark contrast, seeing just how quickly single-use masks and plastic gloves were being discarded on beaches and roadsides, causing untold damage. I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing, I had to take action.’

Sara’s biggest hope is that other businesses will learn from her example and adopt a similar approach. ‘It’s not easy to find accurate plastic usage statistics because generally businesses don’t want to broadcast the fact they have a huge plastic waste problem. However, we just hope our pledge to become a plastic-free shop inspires other businesses to think about their own environmental impact and what steps they too can take to minimise their effect on the world around us.’

With this in mind, The Leith Collective is inviting local business owners to visit their store or get in touch via phone, email or social media where Sara will be happy to pass on any information that might help them in their own quest to go green – from ideas on how to avoid plastic and reduce waste, to tips on where to find the best alternatives.

Ultimately, Sara’s hope is that her New Year’s resolution inspires a new plastic ban revolution.

The Leith Collective can be found at RU65, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ. Opening hours are Monday – Saturday 11am – 6pm, and Sunday 11am – 5pm.