We wrap all our meat in environmentally friendly paper

We wrap all our meat in environmentally friendly paper

Sway Butchers has decided to take a step back 50 years by doing away with the use of plastic bags and wrappings and returning to recyclable and biodegradable paper to wrap fresh meat sold in their shop.

David West, Sixth generation butcher and current owner of the Family business in Sway, remembers helping his father in the early 1960s on Saturday mornings when he was 6 years old. “It was my job to wrap the meat in the large sheets of white greaseproof paper for the customers. I now find it ironic that we have come full circle, but it can only be good news for the environment. We have also replaced cling film with a biodegradable film and plastic pots for our ready to cook products with containers made from vegetable matter that can be put on the compost heap.”

The response of their customers has been amazing with every one being incredibly supportive of this initiative. “The idea of taking their purchases home wrapped in old fashioned paper rather than plastic really appeals to our customers.” In the late 1960s butchers changed over to more fashionable plastic film and bags from grease proof and white paper, but with the recent realisation of the damage plastics are doing to the environment, most people are only too pleased to go back in time.

Future environmental friendly plans for the business include solar panels for the shop and replacing the diesel van with a hybrid model.