New Zealand supermarket co-operative Foodstuffs, which owns the New World, Pak'n Save and Four Square brands, is moving away from the packaging that won it last year's Unpackit Worst Packaging Award.
Foodstuffs sustainability manager Mike Sammons said yesterday the company had been working on a sustainable packaging strategy since 2010 and it was completed last year.
As part of that, Foodstuffs had requested its stores restrict the use of polystyrene packaging to the butchery department. Asked if the Unpackit award had influenced the company, Mr Sammons did not respond.
The awards, run by Wanaka Wastebusters, are determined by public voting.
Organiser Gina Dempster called the change a ''big step forward'' for Foodstuffs and reflected the power of consumers.
''The message was given loudly and clearly to Foodstuffs when they won the Worst Packaging Award in 2012 that some of their packaging was frustrating customers.''
''It's to their credit that instead of getting defensive and hunkering down to protect the status quo, Foodstuffs have taken action to improve their packaging.''
Nominations for the 2013 awards opened this week. Votes this year can be registered directly from supermarket aisles, via smartphones.
Nominations for finalists in the best and worst packaging awards close on July 5.
