Sainsbury's introduces a greener Christmas this year

Sainsbury’s has announced that it is to remove single-use plastic lids across its own-brand dip pots in 2023, following the removal of single-use plastic lids on yoghurt, crème fraiche, sour cream, cream, cottage cheese and custard pots.

And this year’s Sainsbury’s Christmas range will also see the removal of single-use plastic lids, too.

Sainsbury’s will be removing more single-use plastic lids from its own-brand ranges, with dips set to be the next product to see this change. From March 2023, household favourites such as guacamole, tzatziki and sour cream and chive dip will no longer be sold with single-use plastic lids.

Since 2019 Sainsbury’s has removed single-use plastic lids from a wide range of products including cream, crème fraiche, custard, cottage cheese and sour cream. Earlier this year, Sainsbury’s also removed single-use plastic lids from all own-brand yoghurt.

After removing plastic lids from Sainsbury’s own-brand brandy cream last year, customers can now buy Sainsbury’s own-brand brandy butter without plastic lids, helping save an average of 581,000 pieces of plastic this festive season.

The removal of the single-use plastic lids will save a staggering 71 million pieces of plastic each year in total, equating to 220 tonnes of plastic.

For customers who prefer to use a lid on products at home, Sainsbury’s has launched reusable lids, available to purchase across all its superstore branches in England, Scotland and Wales, plus online for £1.25.

Customers will be able to find the lids in-store in the dairy aisle and they can be used on own-brand pots, plus some branded pots, like Yeo Valley, Onken and Alpro. After each use, the silicone lids just need to be washed by hand or in the dishwasher, before reuse.

Removing single-use plastic lids is just one of the ways Sainsbury's is working towards its commitment to halve its use of own brand plastic packaging by 2025. Sainsbury’s recently changed its entire coffee pods range from plastic to aluminium pods, allowing customers to recycle them at home and helping to save over 10 million pieces of plastic each year. Sainsbury’s also launched new double-length toilet rolls, reducing plastic packaging by 30% equating to 84 tonnes of plastic. www.sainsburys.co.uk 

Give the gift of perfectly brewed tea this Christmas with Bosch

Many times on a packet of high quality tea we see instructions that give the precise temperature that the particular tea should be brewed at and served at. But... how can we do that? Use a thermometer? That's a bit fiddly and also potentially dangerous, perhaps? 

Now you can help the tea lover in your life to be able to brew the perfect cup or pot of tea each and ever time, courtesy of Bosh and Whittard of Chelsea.

Because Bosch has partnered up with Whittard of Chelsea because Bosch firmly believes that all teas deserve to be brewed to perfection, every time. 

Known for their tea expertise, Whittard of Chelsea have entrusted the Bosch Sky Kettle, with seven temperature options, to brew your favourite tea at the optimum temperature.

What an utterly genius idea! This is a very smart kettle, indeed!

Available from all approved Bosch retailers https://www.bosch-home.co.uk, plus Amazon, etc, should cost about £80+.

(Not) driving home for Christmas: Tesco and suppliers take trucks off the road to deliver a greener Christmas

The ‘Tetris’-style trial has delivered savings of over 400,000 road miles per year, a reduction of more than 450 tonnes of CO2

Tesco’s distribution teams are partnering with 15 of its major suppliers to reduce the number of trucks on the road over Christmas.

The retailer’s ‘road traffic control’ team has been busy reviewing which suppliers make deliveries to the same locations, and has now been able to consolidate and streamline the routes suppliers use when delivering to distribution centres. 

With Christmas favourites like trifle, parsnips, broccoli and carrots being moved together, and by combining loads, Tesco can stop trucks criss-crossing the country as products make their way onto shelves for customers.

The process finds products that can neatly fit into spaces on a truck by filling in the gaps and has resulted in savings of over 400,000 truck miles per year, equating to 17 trips around the globe. The change has removed 3,400 trucks off the road so far, leading to a saving of over 450 tonnes of CO2.

Trudy Wilson, Head of Supplier ordering at Tesco said: “By working closely with our suppliers and joining them up to use each other’s transport routes, we’re delighted to have delivered savings in emissions and costs for suppliers. The ‘Tetris’-style project helps us use as much space as we possibly can in our trucks over the Christmas period, making the most of every journey and helping keep trucks off the road at a busy time of year."

She finished by saying: "We have exciting plans for the year ahead and are hoping to expand the project with more suppliers coming on board.”

Don't fall victim to parking misery this Christmas!

Christmas shoppers are being warned to take extra care and be extremely vigilant where they park when shopping amid reports that private parking companies are issuing record numbers of 'fines.' 

Experts from leading price comparison website Quotezone.co.uk are urging drivers to check restrictions before a shopping trip, following the news private firms are issuing up to 30,000 tickets per day.

The huge number of fines equates to one every three seconds with private operators set to make £1 billion in revenue through parking tickets alone. 

With demand for parking spaces at a peak in December, Christmas shoppers are potentially more at risk of receiving a fine if they are unable to find their usual parking spot and need to leave their car in a location they don't know very well.

Private parking firms operate a wide variety of locations from supermarkets to vacant city centre lots and multi-storey blocks. 

They often don’t apply the same rules as council-run car parks and can have higher fines for even minor parking transgressions. 

Drivers have been told to check for any information boards before leaving their car and heading to the shops. 

Quotezone.co.uk Founder Greg Wilson said: “Christmas is an expensive time of year and this December many families are already stretching their budgets to the limit. 

“The last thing anyone needs now is a parking ticket when they’re buying Christmas presents for their loved ones but with many car parks full in the run up to Christmas, drivers are having to find somewhere different to leave their car and that could mean a private car park. 

“We’re urging all shoppers to check for information boards and ensure they fully understand the costs and restrictions which apply before they leave their vehicle. 

“With 11% of people admitting to leaving valuable Christmas presents in their cars while they park up and enjoy the festivities, it’s important drivers choose a well-lit area, if possible, especially if it’s an unfamiliar location, and hide any gifts out of sight.”

Anyone who does find themselves with a parking fine they feel is undeserved can appeal it - with 60% of appeals being successful. 

Greg continues: “If you return from a Christmas shopping expedition to find a parking ticket on your windscreen don’t despair as private fines can be challenged, but only if you can prove you were fined unfairly.” 

Around 35,000 people dispute their tickets each year with the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, and a striking 64% of those appeals are successful.  

Here’s Quotezone.co.uk’s steps to appealing a parking ticket: 

Don’t ignore it 

The most important part of getting a parking ticket is to not ignore the fine. Doing so may result in a serious increase in the fine, debt enforcement action, or even a court order.

2.            Check what type of parking ticket it is

Formal bodies and private companies have different appeal procedures, so it’s important to find out which one has been handed out.

Official tickets are called Penalty Charge Notice, Excess Charge Notice or Fixed Penalty Notice and drivers can find the name of the issuing authority on the ticket, all other tickets are issued by private companies. 

3.            Act quickly 

Don’t miss out on the 50% discount by taking too long to pay. The money off should still be frozen and applied if appeals are filed within 14 days of receiving the ticket.

4.            Find evidence 

To make the case stronger, it’s good to have some evidence to back up claims. The easiest way to prove that you did not break parking rules is to provide photo or CCTV evidence. 

5.            Witness statements 

If it’s not possible in certain situations to find photo or CCTV evidence, the next step is to provide any witness statements. When illegal parking is excused by a medical emergency or condition drivers should get a doctor’s note. 

6.            Make the right type of appeal

There are a couple of different appeals that can be filed: informal or formal. 

Informal appeals only apply to Penalty Charge Notices which are left on windscreens. Just send the appeal to the local authority and include any relevant evidence that has been collected. 

If the informal appeal is unsuccessful or if the fine was sent by post, then drivers will have to go through the formal appeal process. This involves filling out and submitting a form if motorists want to get penalties overturned. 

7.            Final appeal 

If the dispute fails in the formal stage as well, then fined drivers can take appeals to the private adjudicator for free. There are options for personal hearings or completing the process by email, phone or post. 

Quotezone.co.uk helps around 3 million users every year find savings on household bills and essentials, with over 400 personal finance brands across 60 different products including car insurance, day insurance and niche products such as campervan insurance.

Incidentally there is a wealth of knowledge on the FightBack Forums (http://forums.pepipoo.com) as they have helped many motorists fight unfair or even illegal "fines" from private and council carparks or on street parking.

(Image courtesy of Florian Pircher and Pixabay)

Buy the motorists in your life a Road Angel dashcam for Christmas

A leading automotive technology specialist has reported doubling their share of the UK dashcam market as British drivers increasingly seek out higher spec features to protect themselves while driving.

Road Angel’s market share has rocketed in 2022, making the road safety experts the fastest-growing dashcam brand in the UK.

The dashcam brand has seen rapid growth across retail and B2B after-market sales in 2022 as both consumers and new and used car dealerships have opted for its dashcams in increasing numbers.

It's estimated over a quarter of the 40.4 million licensed vehicles on UK roads now have dashcams fitted with ownership continuing to rise every year.

Brits are turning to in-car cameras in these numbers as a way of seeing how they and others drive and are useful for finding out who is at fault in the event of an accident.

They can also monitor traffic conditions and be used to make drivers aware of pedestrians, vehicle proximity, lane departure, and other potential hazards.

The quality of the footage, amount of built-in memory, and extra features such as parking mode are key considerations when Brits are choosing which dashcam to buy.

A further trend that impacted sales is that increasingly consumers are looking for dashcams without screens to cut down on distractions while driving.

In  2022 consumer champion Which? hailed Road Angel’s Halo Ultra dashcam, awarding it the coveted ‘Best Buy’ status for its superb footage, parking mode, and built-in memory.

Dashcams with extended recording distance and clarification of obstacles make them more effective at identifying who is at fault should an accident occur.

Road Angel’s position as the fastest growing UK dashcam brand is the result of growing sales across their product range, allowing motorists to buy dashcams from as low as £79, rising to £199 for the top-of-the-line model depending on individual need.

Motorists have reported product design, the functionality of the smart app, and user-friendly systems that are always reliable as central to their decision to choose Road Angel dashcams.

Contributing to Road Angel’s rapid growth has been a promotional pricing strategy that gives motorists access to high-end dashcams during a cost-of-living crisis.

Gary Digva, who is the Sales & Marketing Director of Road Angel said: “Motorists are increasingly looking to protect themselves while driving and are looking for dashcams that can provide supporting evidence in case of an accident and other features that help them stay safe.

“Our latest dashcams provide market-leading quality and performance at affordable price points for UK drivers.

“We are delighted both consumers and car dealerships have turned to Road Angel dashcams in 2022 and we have bold plans to continue to increase our share of the consumer retail sector next year

“B2B after-market sales currently represent the largest part of our dashcam business with sales tripling year on year.

“But we have also seen significant growth in retail sales of our dashcams and there is a clear opportunity to grow retail sales further in 2023 as more established dashcam retailers' sales decline.”

For more information on the latest range of dashcams that offer motorists the best protection please visit https://www.roadangelgroup.com/collections/dash-cam.

Many of us have seen examples on YouTube and other video sharing websites of scammers stopped in mid scam when their potential victim points out that their scam has been captured on a dashcam.

So, if you have friends or relatives who don't yet have a dashcam fitted to their car, van, truck or lorry, That's Christmas feels a Road Angel dashcam would make an excellent Christmas present for them.

Homemade alcoholic drinks for Christmas

There's a lot to be said for homemade wines, beers and ciders, especially for the Christmas period. You can buy kits for beer, cider and wine from some chemists, most supermarkets and from specialist homebrew shops either in person or online.

They can be ready within two to three weeks, so if you start very soon you should be able to have some ready to be drunk by Christmas. Obviously you can mature them and they should, hopefully, taste better given enough time.

However, homebrew beer, cider and wine kits make excellent Christmas presents so they are worth considering as gifts for the family members or friends who are fairly good with their hands and who can follow instructions and are good at keeping things clean.

A good online shop for homebrew supplies is called BREW Genie, they retail online and also via a shop within their premises which are located within a former vicarage in New Church Road, Wellington, Shropshire.

They sell a wide range of products including beer kits, wine kits, cider kits from a large number of different suppliers.

They also sell ingredients and equipment, plus books to help you become a very proficient brewer or wine maker in your own right.

They also sell liqueur kits and flavourings and a whole lot more, besides including still equipment. Check them out at https://www.brewgenie.co.uk.

You might find other homebrew shops near to you. Just Google homebrew beer/wine shops near your location. 

Regulatory Expert Warns Shoppers to be Wary of Christmas Toy Dangers

As part of this year’s festive shopping, a global product information consultancy is issuing strong warnings of the potential risks and dangers of some children’s toys and products that are often sold online and what buyers should be looking out for. 

Following several serious product recalls concerning toys and products which were sold on some major online retailers, regulatory experts at the product information people, Ashbury, share their tips for what consumers should look out for on the label when buying Christmas presents for children this year.   

One recall was made for a paint set, sold on AliExpress, because there were serious risks of toxicity, with the paints in the set containing the prohibited ingredient lead, plus  illegal levels of N-Nitrosamines and N-Nitrosatable substances which are considered hazardous due to their carcinogenic and mutagenic nature. 

Bharti Gorania-Wood, Regulatory Team Lead at Ashbury, explained: “Learning of recalls like the paint set and other similar instances is of great concern and it clearly highlights what can happen when regulatory services aren't implemented correctly, or at all, during product development, labelling, and compliance reviews.

“The UK’s legal framework for children’s toys was re-established after Brexit, by the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 which is currently identical to the EU Toy Safety Directive. It imposes obligations on manufacturers, importers, distributors and authorised representatives, and details what must be complied with before a product can even enter the UK.

“UK enforcement bodies can intercept this supply chain at any point to test a product for safety and that it meets all relevant legislation. In cases of non-compliance or where there’s reason to believe the product poses a risk to the health and safety of a user, action may be taken. Typically, notices are issued or the item may be recalled from the UK market. Offences can result in fines, or even imprisonment, in some cases.”

And it’s not just online shops that are susceptible to safety recalls, says Bharti. “There are hundreds of shocking and severely dangerous examples of insufficient products making it onto the marketplace both online and at major high street stores through a lack of testing, compliance, and regulatory checks.” 

Many reports of toxicity have been reported from items imported from China, including a “Barbie” style doll with levels of phthalates that exceeded the maximum level allowed in the UK, levels of which could cause possible damage to the reproductive system. 

The product also failed to meet requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011 or REACH Regulations, and have since been intercepted at border controls, either being rejected or destroyed.  

“Parents and other adults buy items expecting them to have been tested and meet safety standards and, while most do, there are certain things we can look out for to ensure they are fit for purpose and have been through the relevant legislative checks.  

“The onus is on retailers and manufacturers to ensure these are carried out effectively, but as seen from product recalls in the UK market, they can, and do, fall short on occasion. And when it comes to product safety, there is absolutely no room to risk bypassing these vital compliance processes – doing so could have potentially fatal repercussions, as well as cause serious reputational and financial damage.”  

Bharti’s advice to consumers include:

    • Research | Consider the brand selling or suppliers stocking the product to ensure they are reputable and can demonstrate that the products are genuine (and that they have been through the proper checks) 

    • Be Wary | If it is much cheaper than it is found on other trusted supplier sites, it may be a duplicate of the genuine version you’re seeking. And, if it looks or sounds too good to be true, it probably is 

    • Read the Label | Always read the label warnings and check for a UK or EU address to ensure it’s been approved for sale in these markets. Also look out for accredited marks such as UKCA, UKNI, or CE certifications 

    • Check the Status | Consumers can also visit https://www.gov.uk/product-safety-alerts-reports-recalls to check if and why a product has been recalled. 

Launched in 2011, Ashbury is a UK leading consultancy service provider, helping businesses navigate the complex world of product information regulations for food and non-food products. Its expert regulatory team guides clients from a place of uncertainty to complete reassurance, helping them to understand, apply and comply with domestic and international regulations, and empowering them to help their customers make safe and informed choices. For more information, please call 0845 459 5019, email hello@ashbury.global, or visit www.ashbury.global. 

www.gov.uk/product-safety-alerts-reports-recalls/product-recall-primark-character-wooden-plates-2210-0007