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Co-op first to roll out sustainable household paper range

The Co-op will be the first retailer to convert its entire own-brand household paper range, including facial tissues, to material that has been completely sourced from FSC-certified responsibly-managed forests and recycling facilities.

In Co-op food stores from today (Monday 21 May), with some products also available in branches of The Co-operative Pharmacy, The Co-operative own-label bathroom tissue, kitchen towel and facial tissue range will feature the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) trademark, indicating that the products are made with wood fibre from forests which are well managed according to strict environmental, social and economic standards.

Attention has been paid to all the components of the product - from the tissue, to the cardboard, to the packaging. The range includes the following highlights:

  • All products are from FSC-certified material
  • Recycled toilet tissue and recycled kitchen towel options available
  • Degradable film used to wrap the kitchen towel and toilet tissue - fully degradable in four years (conventional plastic takes up to 100 years)
  • Core roll in the centre of the toilet tissue and kitchen towel made from recycled material
  • Recycled cardboard box for the facial tissue range made from post-consumer waste
  • All the boxes for the facial tissue are entirely card and paper - no plastic components to interfere with recycling.

The range includes the UK's first FSC-certified recycled toilet tissue and kitchen towel. These are produced, in part, through a pioneering "Closing the Loop" initiative. This involves collecting waste paper from The Co-operative Group's head office complex in Manchester, which is also home to the North West's largest in-house office waste recycling centre, opened by the Group in February. Here it is converted to recycled paper, which is used in the recycled bathroom tissue and kitchen towel sold in Co-op stores.

This is the first time that recycled tissue products have been FSC certified, and this is only possible because the material can be identified as 100% post-consumer recycled paper. The source of this waste paper is independently verified by a certification body accredited by the FSC, which audits each stage of the production process, from the recycling plant to the manufacturer.

The FSC certification encompasses the entire range of the Co-op's own-label household paper products, from Everyday to premium lines, providing customers with the assurance that they really are supporting sustainable forestry and recycling.

This new range complements the Co-op's FSC stationery range, FSC barbecue charcoal, FSC garden furniture and FSC kitchen utensils.

Guy McCracken, Chief Executive, Co-operative Food Retail, said: "By leading the way on selecting FSC-approved material for our entire range of household paper products, along with our innovative 'Closing the Loop' recycling scheme, we are demonstrating our commitment to giving our customers quality products which also minimise the impact on the environment."

Charles Thwaites, Executive Director, FSC UK, commented: "All of us who care about the future of the world's forest take great encouragement from this bold commitment by such a large retailer as The Co-operative Group. FSC standards are very high and it requires a lot of dedication all round to create a watertight recycling system like 'Closing The Loop' which is open to independent checking. FSC UK congratulate The Co-operative Group for being in the forefront of verifiable sustainability."

Bathroom Tissue

The range consists of the following:

  • The Co-operative Soft White Bathroom Tissue 2 rolls
  • The Co-operative Everyday White Bathroom Tissue 4 rolls
  • The Co-operative Soft White Bathroom Tissue 4 rolls
  • The Co-operative Soft Pink Bathroom Tissue 4 rolls
  • The Co-operative Soft Cream Bathroom Tissue 4 rolls
  • The Co-operative Soft Aqua Bathroom Tissue 4 rolls
  • The Co-operative Soft White Recycled Bathroom Tissue 4 rolls
  • The Co-operative Quilted White Bathroom Tissue 4 rolls
  • The Co-operative Aloe Vera Bathroom Tissue 4 rolls
  • The Co-operative Everyday White Bathroom Tissue 9 rolls
  • The Co-operative Soft White Bathroom Tissue 9 rolls
  • The Co-operative Soft Pink Bathroom Tissue 9 rolls
  • The Co-operative Soft Cream Bathroom Tissue 9 rolls

Kitchen Towel

The range consists of the following:

  • The Co-operative White Kitchen Towels 2 rolls
  • The Co-operative Decorated Kitchen Towels 2 rolls
  • The Co-operative Recycled White Kitchen Towels 2 rolls
  • The Co-operative Ultra Absorbent White Kitchen Towels 2 rolls
  • The Co-operative Ultra Absorbent Decorated Kitchen Towels 2 rolls
  • The Co-operative Everyday Kitchen Towels 4 rolls
  • The Co-operative White Kitchen Towels 4 rolls
  • The Co-operative Decorated Kitchen Towels 4 rolls

Facial Tissue

The range consists of the following:

  • The Co-operative Cosmetic White Tissues 90 x 2ply
  • The Co-operative Cosmetic Peach Tissues 90 x 2ply
  • The Co-operative Everyday Family White Tissues 150 x 2ply
  • The Co-operative Family White Tissues 150 x 2ply
  • The Co-operative Ultra Soft Family White Tissues 90 x 2ply
  • The Co-operative Ultra Balm Family White Tissues 90 x 3ply
  • The Co-operative Large White Tissues 100 x 2ply
  • The Co-operative Ultra Soft Large White Tissues 55 x 3ply
These products are also available in The Co-operative Pharmacy stores.

Ends

Notes to Editors:
The Co-op is a member of WWF's Forest and Trade Network (FTN), which encourages companies who join the group to use increasing amounts of timber and paper from well-managed forests.

For further information, samples and images, please contact:
Beverley Cook
Senior Public Relations Officer
The Co-operative Group
Tel: 0161 827 5622
beverley.cook@co-op.co.uk


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