Having a tub of Quality Street to share at Christmas time is a tradition for many families.
The containers have had their fair share of changes over the years and there are still plenty of people who yearn for the return of the huge metal tins of yesteryear.
But while many are still getting used to the plastic tubs that followed, now there’s a new kid on the block – in the form of a paper tub.
The ‘first of its kind’ Quality Street design is being trialled at 60 Tesco stores, with tubs hitting the shelves from this week and 200,000 of them being sold this festive season.
Read more: B&M’s exclusive Cadbury Chocolate Selection box is back this Christmas
Nestle and Tesco say the tub, which comes in the signature Quality Street purple, has ‘a luxurious design and feel, and is embellished with gold foil’. The integrated re-close feature of the tub allows it to be securely closed once opened and once empty, it can be put in household recycling.
Nestle will be evaluating the tub’s popularity with shoppers, feedback from supply chain teams and in-store teams at Tesco, as it ‘continues to innovate and seek ways to improve the sustainability of its packaging’.
At 600g it’s the same weight as the plastic tubs and is the same price, £6. But it seems shoppers are already voicing their disapproval of the change.
A post about the new tub on a money-saving Facebook page has attracted hundreds of comments, many of them questioning the move towards the paper boxes and wrappers, which also recently changed.
“Go back to tin and squeaky wrappers,” said one. “Tins are better anyway, can be recycled and often are, my gran had a few that were 20-30 years old keeping various odds and sods.”
“Tins are easier to recycle, easier to reuse and contain no plastic,” said another. And a third added: “Get the message, every single person wants the tin. TIN get the tin, go get the bloody tin!!! We need tins! We have plans for more TINS!”
Others said the chocolates and tubs have got smaller over the years. And some said the chocolates inside the paper wrappers, which were introduced to its twist-wrapped sweets in 2022, no longer taste the same.
“But I did love the original wrappers, not these ones now,” said one. “And please give us value for money, nothing can beat the big tins we used to have.”
“Awful sweets are smaller,” said another. “And we love the sparkly wrappers, they are not the same.”
Not everyone objects to the idea though and a few did welcome the change.
One said: “About time as a good move to be more environmentally friendly and hope the others follow,” while another added: “Good idea only so many plastic tubs and tins you need.”
Jemma Handley, senior brand manager for Quality Street, said: “We’re looking forward to seeing what Quality Street fans make of the paper tub. A lot of care and hard work has gone into the trial and we’re proud to be the first major manufacturer to trial a paper tub at Christmas.
“The beautiful design has been devised specifically for a paper product and we love how it looks, and of course, shoppers can expect the same great tasting Quality Street sweets that they know and love inside.
“We know there are some Quality Street fans who, controversially, like to put their wrappers back in the tub once they’ve eaten them – with the paper tub, they can put the paper wrappers back for a good reason – it can go straight into the recycling.”
Cheryl Allen, head of sustainability of Confectionery Europe at Nestlé, said: “The Quality Street paper tub is an exciting innovation that we’re really proud of here at Nestlé Confectionery. We’re committed to making our packaging more sustainable, keeping in mind the changing needs of shoppers and advancements in technology.
“Of course, with all potential packaging changes, we want to get it right, so this trial will bring us valuable information to inform our next steps as we keep pushing to reduce our use of virgin plastic.”
Responding to the critics, a Nestle spokesperson said: “As well as the Quality Street paper tub trial at Tesco, shoppers can still choose the plastic tub, tin, pouch, and carton as normal at stores nationwide this Christmas.
“Quality Street sweets have been available in cardboard cartons for decades and Quality Street fans will get the same great tasting sweets they know and love in the paper tub.”
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