Plastic tub gets the snub as Nestlé tests paper container for Quality Street

Quality Street, a cherished treat during the Christmas season for many in the UK, is making a notable change to its packaging this year. As fans immerse themselves in their favorite chocolates, they might need to part with the familiar plastic tub that often gets repurposed as a cake tin or a storage solution for Lego.

In a bid to cut down on virgin plastic use, Nestlé, the parent company of Quality Street, is piloting a new paper container. However, it’s unclear how consumers will react. The brand encountered mixed feedback last year when it swapped colorful plastic wrappers for recyclable paper ones, highlighted by a viral TikTok video where a disappointed fan dubbed the new wrappers a “travesty” and asked, “Who wants to eat this piece of garbage?”

Despite the criticism, Nestlé is pressing ahead with its sustainability efforts and plans to roll out around 200,000 of the new paper tubs in select Tesco stores next week. Jemma Handley, the senior brand manager, acknowledged the hurdles they face: “We know we have a hard sell on our hands.” She reassured fans that this year’s tubs will maintain the same weight and recommended price of £5.50, which may provide a comfort amid other packaging changes.

Handley described the new purple tub, which features a “luxurious design” with gold foil detailing and an “integrated re-close feature”—essentially, a lid. She expressed her eagerness to hear consumer opinions: “We’re looking forward to seeing what Quality Street fans think of the paper tub. A lot of care and hard work has gone into the trial, and we’re proud to be the first major manufacturer to test a paper tub at Christmas.”

While the shift to paper packaging offers benefits—such as the ability to recycle the empty tub alongside the wrappers—Nestlé plans to closely monitor shopper reactions to assess its acceptance. They intend to evaluate the tub’s success and gather feedback from Tesco employees who will be engaging with customers throughout this transition.

This move is part of a larger industry trend aimed at improving packaging sustainability. Last year’s change to paper-wrapped sweets effectively kept 2 billion wrappers from landfills, but Nestlé is approaching packaging adjustments with caution. This year, customers can still choose to buy the classic plastic tub, tin, and carton in addition to the new paper version, as the company aims to “get it right.”