The Co-op has burnished its environmental credentials with the release of a new television advert which documents recent successes in the retailer's ongoing efforts to transition to a more sustainable footing with Pizzas and Plastics.
Devised by Lucky Generals the piece highlights how wasteful polystyrene pizza discs have been ditched in favour of a corrugated cardboard alternative manufactured by Stateside. Now in use on all of its own brand pizzas, they have diverted an estimated 200 tonnes of waste from landfill.
Since embraced by rival retailers the simple switch is the tip of a much larger plastics iceberg which has seen the chain commit to 100% recyclable packaging by summer 2020 which would consign ready meal trays, crisps packets and sandwich cartons to history.
The brand is also spearheading Britain’s biggest scheme to recycle plastic film by rolling out its own national collection programme over the summer.
Ali Jones, customer director at Co-op said: “We continue to innovate in this area and reducing the environmental impact of products is and always has been at the core of Co-op. We’re committed to helping our members and customers to help to make a difference to the world and we want to encourage communities to come together and look after the planet and spaces around us.”
Part of a broader global movement to slash plastic waste embraced by the likes of Unilever and Coca-Cola the push follows a trial last summer by Co-op Bank of Good Loop’s ethical ad tech in the latest phase of its ongoing ‘People with Purpose’ campaign.
: 'Pizza and Plastics'
The latest TV ad from Co-op launches, highlights how it’s taken a slice out of landfill waste as the first retailer to introduce recyclable pizza packaging.
Launching during the break of Coronation Street this TV ad, entitled Pizza and Plastics, created by Lucky Generals, tells the story of how Co-op replaced polystyrene pizza discs with corrugated cardboard across all of its own brand pizzas, preventing 200 tonnes of waste. The market-leading corrugated cardboard pizza discs were first launched on the market by Co-op, manufactured by Stateside, with other retailers since following suit.
The Co-op has always been at the forefront of removing hidden plastic and unnecessary packaging and this is one of the many moves the retailer has made. This is in addition to its more recent announcement that it would use only 100% recyclable packaging by the summer of 2020 which will include everything from ready meal trays, crisps packets, to sandwich cartons and film that is found to cover pizzas.
Brand: Co-op
Creative agency: Lucky Generals
Media agency: Dentsu Aegis Network
Director: Max Fisher
Production Company Producer: Francis Mildmay-White
Production Company: Knucklehead
Editor: Kevin Palmer
Post-production: The Mill
Grade: James Bamford / The Mill
Sound: Sam Robson / 750 MPH
