Eliminating non-clothing waste

Our aim is to eliminate single-use plastics and all our non-clothing waste by 2027. Since 2019, we estimate we have removed and/or avoided21 over 1 billion units of SUP from our business.

Clothes hangers are estimated to account for around two thirds of total SUP volumes used within Primark. We’re aiming to move to recycled materials for all hangers – helping to reduce the carbon footprint of hangers by 40%. Where there is no alternative material plastic currently available, we’re also increasing our use of recycled content in our plastic packaging, helping minimising our reliance on virgin materials.

There are some items that need packaging for protection or hygiene reasons, for example, ladies’ briefs. This year, we’ve removed the SUP hook and replaced it with a cardboard alternative that’s colour-coded to help customers find the right size. We’ve also reduced the thickness of the plastic bag from 65 micron to 60 micron. And while this may seem like a small difference, it has helped us reduce our plastic use by 2.7 tonnes. We’ve made similar changes in other ranges, such as replacing the plastic hook with cardboard one on a number of items in kidswear socks and tights. We’ve also trialled a new baby clothes range designed with cardboard hangers.