Retailer says it will find other ways to make products sparkle in effort to stem plastic waste

Waitrose has joined the crackdown on glitter by pledging to ban it from all own-brand products by 2020.

The supermarket chain said its own-label cards, wraps, crackers, tags, flowers and plants will either be glitter-free or use an environmentally friendly alternative.

It planned to use more vibrant foliage in its cut flowers to compensate for the lack of glitter, while new designs would be used for stationery, in particular cards and wrapping paper.

Waitrose said three-quarters of its own-brand cards, wrapping paper, crackers and tags, as well as half of its flowers and plants, were already glitter-free.

Most glitter is made from etched aluminium bonded to polyethylene terephthalate – a form of microplastic that can find its way into the oceans. As well as being an environmental scourge, the substance can pose a danger to people and animals. In January, a woman in Swansea was nearly blinded after glitter from a Christmas card worked its way into her eyeball.

The BBC show Strictly Come Dancing banned the use of traditional glitter on the programme this year, while several nursery schools and music festivals in the UK have also axed it.

“Reducing the impact of plastics on the environment is something our customers care passionately about,” said Tor Harris, the head of corporate social responsibility, health and agriculture at Waitrose. “While it is important to eliminate the use of glitter, we will find other ways to make sure our products sparkle at Christmas and throughout the year.”

Meanwhile, Marks & Spencer is introducing a biodegradable alternative to glitter across its fresh flowers and plant range. It could be in use as early as January after a successful trial.