Musgrave Marketplace reports eco-friendly category growth of 436%

Musgrave Marketplace reports eco-friendly category growth of 436%

Musgrave MarketPlace, Northern Ireland’s leading wholesale supplier to foodservice, retail and SME businesses, has announced a dramatic increase in sales of eco-friendly packaging from January to July 2019, with a 436% increase year-on-year.

As part of its commitment to a more sustainable future, Musgrave MarketPlace launched its eco-friendly range in September 2018, supplying over 100 eco-friendly and disposable packaging products in its Belfast and Pennyburn branches.  Since launching, the most significant areas of product growth within the range have been in coffee cups and lids, with a 347% increase this year; and in cutlery and straws, with a 122% increase in the same period.

In line with the growing demand for sustainable materials, the environmentally-conscious range has been noted as the fastest growing category within the Musgrave MarketPlace branches, accounting for 5% of total packaging sold. It is predicted that this growth will rise to 6.9% by the end of 2019.

The movement towards eco-friendly products has become a key issue for food service, retail and SME businesses in Northern Ireland as consumers become more aware of the effect their consumption habits can have on the environment. This new product range is part of a wider sustainability strategy by Musgrave Marketplace to reduce its carbon footprint by 70% by 2025 and minimise the percentage of packaging going to landfill.

Commenting on the dramatic increase in sales of eco-friendly packaging and disposables products in Musgrave MarketPlace branches in Northern Ireland Mark Moriarty, Trading Director Musgrave MarketPlace said: At Musgrave MarketPlace, we place a premium on identifying the latest trends within the industry so we can consistently supply our customers with the best range of products available in accordance with their needs.  The dramatic rise in demand for eco-friendly products across our customer base is a sign that a new era of environmentally conscious business activity is upon us, and Musgrave MarketPlace is proud to be to the fore of this movement.

“Eco-friendly packaging and disposables are areas of huge growth potential for us and the wider industry.  We’re working with our fantastic suppliers to expand our range in order to ensure we are providing our customers with the best sustainable, eco-friendly alternatives on the market.  At present we have dedicated spaces within our branches for eco-friendly packaging and disposables, with over 100 different types of eco-friendly products.

“We as an organisation are committed to ensuring we play our part in assisting Northern Ireland reach its 2025 and 2030 plastic recycling targets.  Supplying the best in class eco-friendly packaging and disposables to our customers is a massive step forward towards a cleaner environment.  We intend to expand our offering this year and predict further growth in this area in the coming months.”

The new, greener packaging range available at Musgrave MarketPlace is comprised of bio-based products made from natural materials that are mostly certified as being industrially compostable. Compostable products biodegrade under specific conditions into carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds and biomass in approximately 90 days.  All food packaging products are made from either renewable or compostable raw materials.