Asda drops cartons from entire toothpaste range

The packs, which are filled by McBride’s Bradford site and produced by laminate tubes multinational Betts, launched earlier in the summer and are expected to save Asda up to 35 tonnes in packaging weight every year.

Following the launch of the packs, which Asda said has led to a 50% reduction in packaging weight on the range, Betts is now trialling a new laminate structure that, it believes, will reduce the packs’ carbon footprint further.

Asda packaging development manager Suzie Hardy told Packaging News: “The major driver in making the change was from a packaging reduction perspective, and to help towards our Courtauld 2 targets.

“The move also leads to increased customer convenience as they no longer have the carton to discard, the tubes sit nicely on their bathroom shelf, and the caps are easier to handle.”

She added that the results of the new materials’ trials were currently being reviewed.

A number of other brands have previously produced stand-up toothpaste packs, especially in kids’ ranges. However, Asda is understood to be the first to roll out cartonless packs across its entire range of toothpaste.

On the new packs, stand-up caps have been used on six 100ml toothpaste packs in Asda’s Protect range, while a further low-cost Smart Price toothpaste has a standard cap.

The 100ml packs, which cover sensitive, mint fresh and whitening products, are six-colour flexo printed and use clear and opaque PE laminate tubes.

Hardy added that a further advantage of the new packs was that any defective seals could be spotted before the packs go out to stores, improving quality.

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