Nestlé Are Making a Big Change To Quality Street, And Time Will Only Tell If It Sticks

It's very different to what we're used to.
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Martin Keene - PA Images via Getty Images

Whichever warring faction of the Quality Street / Celebrations / Roses triad you back, you’ve likely noticed some changes in your favourite brand over the years. 

Roses, for instance, have changed their logo from one with a hidden reference to a plainer design. 

Celebrations tubs have gotten a little smaller too as Mars chalks the change down to “the rising costs of raw materials and operations.” 

And in 2022, Quality Street switched their plastic wrappers out for more recyclable paper alternatives.

Now, it seems another green revolution is coming for their iconic tin.

What’s changing for Quality Street’s packaging?

In a press release, Nestlé shared that they’d start trialling paper Quality Street tubs in Tesco next week. 

“More than 200,000 paper tubs will go out to selected Tesco stores this festive season, carrying around 150 tonnes of the popular sweets in total,” they revealed.

“The trial is another step on Nestlé’s journey to reduce virgin plastic.”

The paper box is embellished with “luxurious” gold foil and has a re-close opening that means you can securely shut it. 

Jemma Handley, Senior Brand Manager for Quality Street, said: “We know there are some Quality Street fans who, controversially, like to put their wrappers back in the tub once they’ve eaten them ― with the paper tub, they can put the paper wrappers back for a good reason ― it can go straight into the recycling.”

Plastic tins, tubs, and pouches will still be available.

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Nestlé

Will it become permanent?

A Nestlé spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “The purpose of the 2024 limited release in [a] market trial is to explore and validate what would be required in terms of manufacturing changes to create the desired packaging format at scale.” 

At the moment, the packaging change is just a “trial” and will only be extended to Tesco. 

“Quality Street will be evaluating the tub’s popularity with shoppers, feedback from supply chain teams and in-store teams at Tesco, as the iconic brand continues to innovate and seek ways [to] improve the sustainability of its packaging,” their press release reads.