The festive season in the UK isn’t truly underway until the iconic Quality Street box starts making its rounds.
The distinctive purple colour, synonymous with Christmas cheer, is instantly recognised by countless households as they delve into the bright wrappers to find their favourite chocolate treat.
However, this year, the box could sport a new look, as confectionery giants Nestle have given it a 2024 makeover.
From mid-October, select Tesco stores will be offering your beloved Quality Street selections, but in a paper box for the first time ever, replacing the traditional plastic.
Over 200,000 paper tubs will be dispatched to selected Tesco stores this Christmas season, carrying around 150 tonnes of the popular sweets in total, reports the Express.
This trial marks another stride in Nestle’s mission to reduce virgin plastic, following their decision to ditch the shiny chocolate wrappers a few years ago.
The paper tub, adorned in the signature Quality Street purple, boasts a luxurious design and feel, embellished with gold foil.
It features an integrated re-close function for secure closure after opening, and the best part is, it can be tossed in the recycling bin when empty.
Extensive trials have been conducted to ensure that the nation’s cherished Quality Street chocolates remain in top condition while nestled within their new paper packaging. The iconic confectionery brand is currently assessing the new paper tub’s reception among Tesco consumers, as well as obtaining insights from supply chain and in-store teams, as part of its ongoing mission to enhance the sustainability of its product packaging.
Jemma Handley, senior brand manager for Quality Street, said: “We’re looking forward to seeing what Quality Street fans make of the paper tub. 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.”
Handley further expressed her enthusiasm about the novel design, created especially for this venture: “The beautiful design has been devised specifically for a paper product and we love how it looks, and of course, shoppers can expect the same great tasting Quality Street sweets that they know and love inside.”
In addressing the habits of some Quality Street enthusiasts, Handley added: “We know there are some Quality Street fans who, controversially, like to put their wrappers back in the tub once they’ve eaten them – with the paper tub, they can put the paper wrappers back for a good reason – it can go straight into the recycling.”
Speaking on the sustainability drive, Cheryl Allen, Head of Sustainability Confectionery Europe at Nestle, shared: “The Quality Street paper tub is an exciting innovation that we’re really proud of here at Nestle Confectionery.”
Allen emphasised Nestle’s dedication to sustainable practices: “We’re committed to making our packaging more sustainable, keeping in mind the changing needs of shoppers and advancements in technology.
“Of course, with all potential packaging changes, we want to get it right, so this trial will bring us valuable information to inform our next steps as we keep pushing to reduce our use of virgin plastic.”
In a significant sustainable move last year, Quality Street switched to recyclable paper packaging for its twist-wrapped sweets. Swapping the traditional double layer of foil and cellulose for a singular paper wrap, the iconic confectionery brand managed to eliminate almost two billion pieces of material from its production cycle.
Moreover, the treat’s chocolate content now boasts cocoa mass obtained from cocoa farming families who are beneficiaries of Nestle’s Income Accelerator Programme, showcasing a step forward in ethical sourcing.