M&S Food trials recyclable paper fibre trays for ready meals

Marks & Spencer is piloting a new recyclable tray made from paper fibre for one of its most popular ready meals, Fiery Chicken Tikka Masala. The tray, suitable for both oven and microwave cooking, is designed as a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic packaging.

The trial, launched in selected M&S stores and via Ocado, marks a first in the ready meal category. The tray is made from FSC-certified renewable paper fibre and features a thin plastic lining that does not need to be removed before recycling. The new packaging can be placed in household paper recycling streams, offering a more convenient and environmentally friendly option for consumers.

The initiative is part of M&S’s strategy to explore packaging alternatives, even for products that present technical challenges such as dual-cooking convenience. The fibre-based tray has undergone testing to ensure performance and durability under both cooking conditions.

This limited-run trial is intended to gather customer feedback and assess the practicality of fibre trays for broader use. It forms part of the retailer’s wider sustainability efforts, which include a commitment to reduce plastic packaging.

Ben Fogle, Plan A Ambassador at M&S Food, says: M&S Food is famous for leading the way in innovation, and it’s great to see M&S launching the first to market paper fibre tray for a freshly prepped meal. Not only can it be put in both the oven and microwave, it can also be easily recycled in paper recycling at home. Innovations like this really have the potential to make a difference and reduce plastic use.

M&S recently exceeded its 2024/25 target by removing 75 million units of plastic earlier than planned. The retailer is now aiming to eliminate one billion units by the end of the 2027/28 financial year, as part of its Plan A roadmap towards achieving net zero emissions by 2040. As of March 2025, M&S had already removed 500 million units of plastic from its operations.