M&S has announced plans to replace plastic Bags For Life with ones made out of paper at all its stores across the UK.
We all know every British household has a classic plastic supermarket Bag For Life or two knocking around, but as of this week, M&S is taking plastic out of the equation and will be only be offering paper bags at checkouts instead.
Carrying all the benefits of plastic bags “but without the same environmental impact”, replacing the retailer’s typical ecoloop plastic bags for life, and now being sold alongside its range of durable tote bags, M&S says the new Forest Stewardship Council®-certified bags are just as “strong and robust” as shoppers have always expected from their plastic counterparts.
There’s two different types of paper Bags For Life – a more durable bag in the Food section, and “a simpler one” in the Clothing & Home, which M&S says reflects customers’ “different shopping missions”.
The new paper Food bags are “super strong”, according to M&S, and are capable of carrying over 15kg at any one time.
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The two new paper Bags for Life at M&S / Credit: M&S
Both bags are water resistant, which is thanks to a natural resin applied in the manufacturing process, and they have both been independently-tested to withstand over 100 reuses, as well as being easy to fold and store away, and equally-convenient – if not more convenient – to pop straight into your home recycling bin when its worn out.
M&S has explained the reasoning behind why it feels now is “the right time” to roll paper carrier bags out at all its stores.
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M&S’ Director of Corporate Affairs, Victoria McKenzie-Gould, said this is just the latest move in the retailer’s bid to introducing more new sustainable choices for customers, after it became the first supermarket to the plastic carrier bag charge back in 2008.
Other sustainable changes M&S has made over the years have included introducing a range of “large and incredibly-durable” reusable tote bags, or offering bags for life made using recycled plastic and material collected in its stores, but as McKenzie-Gould revealed, today, over 70% of M&S customers now choose to bring their own bags or don’t use one at all when shopping in store.
The outside of M&S in Manchester city centre / Credit: M&S Manchester (via Facebook)
This is why the retailer wanted to “go further” and “find a solution” which avoids plastic for those trips when shoppers do need a bag.
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M&S said it wanted to come up with “the best and most sustainable paper bag possible”.
“We now have a solution that is better environmentally and which helps customers looking to make small changes to reduce their environmental footprint,” the retailer said in a statement.
“For the vast majority who already reuse their own bags, which remains the most sustainable option, not a lot will change – but on the odd occasion when we all need to reach for one more bag, we’re pleased to be offering a more sustainable option for customers.”
Featured Image – M&S
Shopping
The Boots recycling scheme where you can get £5 off every shop
Thomas Melia
UK high street retailer and healthcare shop Boots has launched an innovative recycling scheme that entitles customers to £5 off their future shopping trips.
If you’re still struggling to come up with a New Year’s resolution, why not try a spot of recycling and earn some money off your next cosmetics shop while you’re at it?
Started in 2020, the Boots Recycling Scheme allows Advantage Card holders the opportunity to get money while also being more conscious about how we recycle our used health and beauty products.
Their third-party app, Recycle at Boots, uses a ‘Scan2Recycle‘ system where users can upload items from various beauty brands by taking a picture of the empty packaging before identifying its form.
This scheme takes items that can’t usually be recycled at home, such as lotion pumps, toothpaste tubes, lipstick, mascaras, travel minis, make-up palettes and more.
Once you have five items approved, head over to your nearest participating Boots store, drop off your empties and scan the QR code on the deposit box.
After you’ve followed all these steps, a voucher will appear entitling you to 500 Advantage Points when you spend £10 in-store at your nearest location, and not only do you have £5 worth of points with your name on it, you’re also an eco-warrior.
There’s even a dedicated section of the app to recycling empty medicine and vitamin blister packs, which gives customers 100 Advantage Points when they spend £5 in-store.
Brilliant.
Credit: Publicity pictures (supplied)
Items dropped into these deposit boxes are taken to MyGroup, a recycling and waste management service which works around the clock to help divert waste from landfill.
These empties will be washed and traditionally recycled into a material called MyBoard, a construction board material most similar to plywood, with lots of different uses.
Nearest Boots locations in Manchester running the Recycle at Boots scheme:
Manchester Market Street – 32 Market Street, M1 1PL
Salford Regent Park – Regents Park, M5 3TP
Manchester Didsbury – 736-740 Wilmslow Road, M20 2DW
The Trafford Centre – 10 Peel Avenue, M17 8BD
Trafford Retail Park – Neary Way, M41 7FN
If you’re up for getting money off your next Boots splurge while also helping recycle cosmetics containers and more, you can download the Recycle at Boots app and find your nearest HERE.
Tesco reveals what the UK’s most popular meal deal was in 2025
Emily Sergeant
Tesco has revealed what the UK’s most popular meal deal combination was in 2025, and some newbies have taken the top spots.
We all know meal deals are a classic lunch option for hungry office workers and for those looking for something quick to grab on the go, and it’s fair to say Tesco’s is one of the most popular on the market – but which combination was the most popular over the past 12 months? Which meal deal was the most commonly-picked from supermarket shelves in 2025?
Well, after last year saw a change in both the main and snack categories, this time around they have stayed the same and it’s actually the drink option where we see a change.
For the second year running, the Tesco Chicken Club Sandwich was the most popular choice of main, while the Tesco Egg Protein Pot took the top snack title.
Tesco has revealed what the UK’s most popular meal deal was in 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group
It’s time, however, to wave goodbye to the Coca-Cola (500ml) bottle, which has taken the title of the nation’s favourite meal deal drink for the past three years now, and say hello to the nation’s new favourite drink… a can of Red Bull.
When it comes to the North West’s favourite combo, the snack and drink choices remain the same to the rest of the UK’s, but the main is slightly different, as we favour a Tesco Just Ham Sandwich instead.
As always, the meal deal statistics for 2025 were revealed as part of Tesco’s annual ‘Clubcard Unpacked’ series, which is basically like ‘Spotify Wrapped’ but for Clubcard customers, giving loyalty card members a unique insight into what they shopped for and how much they saved over the last year.
The series also gives Clubcard holders the chance to find out what their personal favourite meal deal combination was in 2025, and see how that compares to the rest of the nation.
You’ll just need to open your Tesco Clubcard app on your mobile to find out, or you can head to the Tesco website here and login to your account.
Results are available now for a limited time only.
As well as getting to find out their own most-bought meal deal items, this year’s video also shows Clubcard members further insights into how they shopped at Tesco last year – from their most frequently-purchased products, to how many points they saved and spent.
Emily Sergeant -
19th September 2023 
