Trader Joe’s plans to eliminate 4 million pounds of plastic from its stores this year, and 2.5 million pounds of that reduction will come from produce.
The company has eliminated or reduced packaging for more than 20 produce items, according to a news release.
Jack Salamon, the produce category manager for the retailer, said on a recent Inside Trader Joe’s podcast episode that improving sustainability in the produce departments starts with looking at whether stores can sell more product in bulk. The retailer sells more loose apples, potatoes and onions than it used to, Salamon said. Garlic was another item he mentioned, noting that getting rid of certain packaging also eliminated cost and created better value for shoppers.
Trader Joe’s has also gotten rid of Styrofoam trays in produce and has swapped out its plastic produce bags for compostable ones, according to another episode of podcast.
Also in that episode, vice president of marketing product Matt Sloan and marketing director Tara Miller discussed the retailer’s five-piece sustainability strategy.
First, Trader Joe’s wants to minimize the packaging materials used for each product. Second, the retailer looks to source products with renewable or recycled packaging material.
Third, the company seeks products with packaging that can realistically be recycled.
Fourth, Trader Joe’s wants to avoid the use of harmful substances in packaging. Fifth, the retailer aims to educate consumers on why certain products have packaging and how to recycle, compost or otherwise handle the packaging of various items.
In the release, Trader Joe’s gave an example of why plastic packaging is sometimes necessary.
“We are diligent in our attempt to balance the priority to maintain product quality and minimize food waste, protect the product from contamination, and reduce the amount of packaging,” the company wrote. “Identifying a solution that meets all three components is complex and can be challenging. Take, for example, our English cucumbers, a product that we hear about from our customers because it is wrapped in plastic.
“Responding to these concerns, we tested removing the plastic wrap earlier in the year,” the company wrote. “Almost immediately, we experienced a spike in the spoilage of these thin-skinned cucumbers. Removing the plastic wrap reduced the shelf life of the cucumbers from 10-14 days to a few days. The outcome of our test was not tolerable from a food-waste perspective, so we are in pursuit of alternatives. While we may not always arrive at the right solution the first time, we remain steadfast in our dedication to this important work.”
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