British shoppers fear a supermarket’s ‘eco friendliness has gone too far’ after it axed millions of plastic lids from hummus pots and replaced them with ‘flimsy’ covers.
Tesco made the drastic call this month to ditch the plastic, getting rid of more than 31 million pieces from its stores.
Objectors say the move will not reduce plastic ‘if it still has a plastic cover and people end up using clingfilm’ while others have praised the multinational retailer for the change and its concern over the ‘environmental issue’.
Author Laura Pearson took to X – formerly known as Twitter – to say: ‘I’m so baffled about Tesco removing the plastic lid from hummus and replacing it with a flimsy plastic cover which requires me to now cover it with clingfilm or similar. How is that helping anyone?’
Responses from other British shoppers soon rolled in with many sharing in Ms Pearson’s frustration.
Generic photo of a hummus pot with the lid removed taken from @XanderKoci
Generic photo of a hummus pot with a plastic lid beside it taken from @XanderKoci
Some people say there’s no point as people will use cling form if there is no lid
Tesco says is has made the move to save on plastic waste
One person said: ‘I’m the only person in the house who eats hummus and it’s like they expect me to do it in one sitting.’
Another commented: ‘The removal of the plastic lid means a) I have to put secondary cling film on b) the food slops around and is wasted c) the food goes off faster and is wasted… whoever thought this was good for the environment was entirely wrong.’
A Tesco spokesman insists the change has no impact on product quality or shelf life and added the hummus should still be consumed within 2 days of opening (as before).
The spokesman added: ‘We have recently removed the lids on our hummus pots as part of our ongoing efforts to tackle plastic waste. This latest change will remove more than 31 million pieces of plastic – equivalent to 157 tonnes of plastic a year.’
Someone else said on X: ‘Generation of less plastic waste probably.’
Another person added: ‘You could try making hummus – it’s very easy.’
The drastic plastic decision comes after Sainsbury’s became the first British Supermarket to ditch plastic bags for fruit and veg in 2019.
Photos from social media show the lengths some British shoppers are having to go to after buying products with no plastic lids @groksalt
Others have taken to social media to support the move saying reusable lids can be used instead
Tesco soon followed before saying in January 2020 it aimed to ditch 67 million pieces of plastic by removing wrapping from food items.
Hummus pots are not the only food item subject to change with regular shoppers noting a number of yoghurt pots and other dips have also shed their plastic lids in recent months.
MailOnline approached Tesco to ask about the financial implications of removing the lids, following some suggestions this had been a motivating factor.
A spokesman suggested the company was unable to disclose financial implications of the work but that it would be inaccurate to say cost saving was the motivation for the action.
X user Sarah Doyle said: ‘I’ve started saving the lids when I do get them, so I can reuse them.’
But user Allan Paterson, a self-described ‘active optimist’ concluded: ‘To meet plastic reduction targets that compromise food quality which involves buying more tubs that in-turn use more plastic…the obsession with plastic reduction has gone mad in a lot of cases. A lack of joined up thinking.’
The decision comes after Tesco ditched wrapping from food items in January 2020
The move will get rid of more than 31 million pieces of plastic from Tesco stores
There are some strong critics of the move but Tesco insists the product will not be affected
Other food items subject to eco friendly initiatives in recent times are plastic lids on fizzy drinks bottles and lids on soft drinks.
In May, furious shoppers hit out at laws branded the ‘worst thing to happen to humanity’ which led retailers to tether caps to drinks bottles.
The vast majority of bottles in the EU – and a growing number in Britain – now feature bottle caps which remain attached after opening in an effort to boost recycling and cut down on litter.
Burger King was among retailers to get rid of lids on soft drinks and milkshakes in restaurants to reduce plastic waste and pollution in 2022.
A guilt free coffee cup in 2023 saw plastic-free takeaway cups launched by Marks & Spencer.
The chain’s decision was among a raft of measures designed to eliminate single-use throwaway plastic by 2025.
X user Jason Eaves concluded on the change to hummus pot lids: ‘Bless. Stay strong.’