Tesco's Laser-Etched Avocados to Save on Packaging Waste - Core77

www.core77.com Tesco's Laser-Etched Avocados to Save on Packaging Waste - Core77

"Laser avocado" sounds like a Doritos flavor, but it's actually a packaging technique being trialed by Tesco. In a bid to reduce packaging waste, the UK supermarket chain is laser-etching avocados rather than using barcode stickers. And for their avocado products that come in twin packs, they're dit...

I'm sharing this because any reduction in unnecessary packaging waste is good for the planet - and because I think laser-etching avocados is funny. 🙂

zerowaste @slrpnk.net

Tesco's Laser-Etched Avocados to Save on Packaging Waste - Core77

www.core77.com /posts/132477/Tescos-Laser-Etched-Avocados-to-Save-on-Packaging-Waste

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Solarpunk technology @slrpnk.net

Tesco's Laser-Etched Avocados to Save on Packaging Waste - Core77

www.core77.com /posts/132477/Tescos-Laser-Etched-Avocados-to-Save-on-Packaging-Waste

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72 comments

You know what other option is popular and much more common than packaging or etching. A tiny sticker, made out of recycled paper.
- Better yet biodegradable paper and glue so you just throw all the shit in a compost bin!
  
  The stickers are compostable and edible already
  Editing to say I'm a liar I guess, since I couldn't find proof to back this claim and have just been eating plastic sometimes.
  
  Where do you have that? I haven't seen that in most places
  
  Omg I guess I've been tricked. I had read that they were mostly in at least the US but now can't find any evidence to support that. Gotta do my homework better I guess.
  There's one company that is making them that has customers all over north america but I guess it's not as common as I thought. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/plastic-sticker-produce-ban-alternative-1.6844972
- You dont even need the sticker. They are avocados and are distinct and easy for a cashier or moron at self checkout to figure out how to ring up.
- Rice paper, IIRC, with edible ink and glue
- I think a lot of produce uses some PVC material for labels.
  
  in the US i believe by law food stickers need to be edible.
  
  Yeah I was googling around and as far as I could tell they must not be harmful if accidentally consumed, but I think can still be made of plastic (which is...weird), and don't need to be compostable:
  https://modernfarmer.com/2018/03/little-produce-stickers-are-big-waste-problem/
  https://nerc.org/news-and-updates/blog/nerc-blog/2021/11/09/produce-stickers-a-small-but-mighty-problem
  I could be wrong though, it's kinda confusing as to the rules.

72 comments