Environment

Green & Black's, the organic chocolate maker, is to reduce the amount of packaging used in its Easter eggs for 2009 by more than 60% by removing the plastic inserts and using bag-shaped boxes.

As a result the firm said it would save more than 70 tonnes of plastic and cardboard packaging.

Green & Black's inhouse team has used stronger FSC-accredited card to protect the eggs, while increasing the amount of chocolate in the shell of the eggs has added further robustness and also gives consumers a more indulgent and luxurious treat.

The firm would not reveal the name of the supplier of the material or the printer.

Green & Black's managing director Dominic Lowe said the packs were two years in development and marked the start of a journey to improve the sustainability of the packaging used in all of its products, including the chocolate bars.

From January 2009 the firm will also offer consumers advice on how to recycle their packaging at a new website, www.greenandbeautiful.com

Rival Nestlé announced last month that it would remove the plastic packaging from 80% of its shell eggs to be launched next Easter.

The firm will use a full recyclable card tray sourced from sustainable forests to secure the eggs in their boxes. It has also removed the plastic wrappers from the white chocolate drops and sweets inside the Milkybar and Smarties Shaker eggs.

Nestlé said as a result it had cut the amount of packaging used in the eggs by 30%.