Costco moves away from plastic packaging in produce

As part of its ongoing sustainability efforts in merchandising, Costco Wholesale BB #:150902, Issaquah, WA, is moving away from plastic clamshells for apples.

“We’re changing from plastic clamshells to recyclable cardboard to package our apples,” the company said in a recent Facebook post, which was met with nearly ubiquitous positive comments from followers, who requested less plastic packaging elsewhere in the store.

The change to corrugated packaging for apples started in 2020 as part of the company’s efforts to add more recyclable and compostable packaging.

In 2019, the company acknowledged the challenges with recyclability presented by its use of plastic clamshells in the produce department saying:

“Costco currently uses clamshell packaging for some of its fresh bakery and fresh produce items. These clamshells reduce food waste by providing longer shelf life and easier storage. While this packaging is made of plastic content that can be recycled, it is not necessarily widely recyclable.”

“We are continuing to explore alternatives that will reduce the amount of plastic while also providing a longer shelf life to reduce food waste.”

Image sources are either licensed or customer-provided.