As part of its mission to reduce plastic and waste, UK Greetings is urging its independent retailer customers who currently request their cards to be supplied cellowrapped from the publisher to consider changing to receiving them unwrapped.
“Awareness of the damage plastics have upon our environment is increasing as the issue is receiving growing levels of media exposure through a number of high profile campaigns,” pointed out Darren Cave, UKG’s director of field sales in a letter to the publisher’s independent customers who currently elect to have their cards supplied cellowrapped.
As a matter of course, with a few range exceptions, UK Greetings supplies its cards to independents unwrapped, but over time some customers have requested them to be wrapped.
“Our commitment to our independent customers is of paramount importance to us and we remain fully committed to providing a great service for them,” added Darren, who was proud to collect the Silver award for the Best Service to the Independent Retailer at The Henries last week (October 4).
“By working together we can change the mindset of the greeting card consumer and reduce the use of plastics in our industry,” believes Darren.
UK Greetings has been on a committed path to reduce its use of plastics and waste for some time to execute a lasting change, both through working with many of its multiple customers as well as within its own business.
As Asda’s greeting card category partner, UK Greetings has been closely involved with the grocer’s decision to ‘go naked’ (apart from a few exceptions) on all its cards starting in January 2019 and is involved in Sainsbury’s ‘naked’ trial too.
UK Greetings’ own internal initiative, Plastic Isn’t Fantastic has seen the publisher significantly reduce the use of plastics within its business, with regular activity ensuring that the topic is kept firmly on the employees’ radar.
Ceri Stirland, UK Greetings’ customer and channel director is also the current president of the GCA and will be highlighting the importance of the industry continuing to strive to improve its environmental credentials at the GCA’s AGM & Conference next Wednesday (October 17).
