Waitrose is to ban glitter from all its own products by Christmas 2020 in response to mounting concerns about plastic pollution.

The move by the supermarket chain comes amid growing awareness of the harm it poses to the environment.

The shiny flecks are made of tiny pieces of plastic and when washed away can end up in rivers, lakes and the sea, contaminating the water and poisoning marine life.

Waitrose has announced that in two years time all its own-brand cards, wrap, crackers, tags, flowers and plants will be free of glitter.

Plastic-free biodegradable alternatives will be used to create the same sparkle.


"Reducing the impact of plastics on the environment is something our customers care passionately about," Tor Harris, Waitrose's head of corporate social responsibility, said.

"While it's important to eliminate the use of glitter, we'll find other ways to make sure our products sparkle at Christmas and throughout the year."

Waitrose are not the first to recognises that all that glitters is not gold.

Nursery schools and music festivals have switched to eco-friendly glitter in the the last year, as has the BBC One show Strictly Come Dancing.

:: Sky's Ocean Rescue campaign encourages people to reduce their single-use plastics. You can find out more about the campaign and how to get involved at www.skyoceanrescue.com