Nestle has decided to discontinue its Quality Street cardboard tubs this Christmas, following a two-year trial in Tesco stores. The move away from plastic tubs was first trialled in 60 Tesco stores for Christmas 2024, when 200,000 of the paper tubs were made available.
The company had already faced criticism over its shift to paper wrappers, making the trial of the 'first of its kind' box a notable step. Quality Street said 'a lot of care and hard work' had gone into the trial and it was 'proud to be the first major manufacturer to trial a paper tub'.
Trial Details and Feedback
The cardboard tub, which came in the signature Quality Street purple, was described as having 'a luxurious design and feel, and embellished with gold foil'. Once empty, it could be placed in household recycling. The trial was repeated in selected stores last year, with Nestle describing it as 'another step on Nestle’s journey to reduce virgin plastic use'.
Nestle said it would evaluate the tub’s popularity with shoppers, along with feedback from supply chain teams and in-store teams at Tesco, as it continued 'to innovate and seek ways to improve the sustainability of its packaging'.
Decision to Not Return
Two years on from the trial launch, the company has confirmed the boxes, which cost the same as the plastic ones, will not be returning for Christmas 2026. While specific reasons were not given, Nestle indicated it is not necessarily the end for cardboard tubs.
A Nestle spokesperson said: "We won’t be trialling our Quality Street paper tub this year. We’re using our experience from 2024 and 2025 to make further developments. Watch this space as we continue to explore its role with the ambition to bring it back on a bigger scale in the future."
Shopper Reactions and Other Changes
A Tesco spokesperson confirmed that the cardboard tubs are not part of its Christmas range this year. When the change was first reported, shoppers gave a mixed reaction. A post about the tub on a money-saving Facebook page attracted hundreds of comments, many questioning the move towards paper boxes and wrappers.
"Go back to tin and squeaky wrappers," said one. "Tins are better anyway, can be recycled and often are, my gran had a few that were 20-30 years old keeping various odds and sods." Others welcomed the change, with one commenting: "About time as a good move to be more environmentally friendly and hope the others follow."
Costco has brought back its giant tins of Quality Street weighing almost 2kg and costing just over £19 including VAT. The price works out at around 96p per 100g, compared with a Quality Street Festival Tin from Morrisons costing £13 for 700g (£1.86 per 100g). The only other place the large tins were found was on Amazon, where 1.93kg tins cost around £36 and 2kg tins £39.99.
John Lewis has also dropped all Quality Street products this Christmas, including the pick 'n' mix stations, as it focuses on a 'fresh line-up of exclusive festive treats'. The John Lewis website announced: "Quality Street will not be available in John Lewis this year, but we have lots of gifting options for you to explore."
Nestle confirmed it has new offerings this festive season, teaming up with Monopoly. A spokesperson said: "We know how much shoppers enjoyed creating their own Quality Street tins at John Lewis, and it’s been a brilliant part of Christmas for many years. This year, we’re doing things a little differently, teaming up with another festive favourite, Monopoly, which will see us launch a special Quality Street x Monopoly tub over the coming weeks with thousands of prizes up for grabs!" The Quality Street x Monopoly tub launched in 'stores nationwide' on November 1.
