BP Travel Marketing and Explore trial plastic-free brochure packaging

BP Travel Marketing has teamed up with tour operator Explore Worldwide for a pilot which replaces the plastic packaging of travel brochures with cardboard.

The company, owned by Menzies Distribution, estimates cardboard packaging could save 25 tonnes of plastic wrapping from potential landfill and reduce the carbon impact by 13% if all its clients adopted the move.

Current plastic packaging used for travel brochures is recyclable, but the companies believe the plastic-free, cardboard solution is far more sustainable.

The trial follows a pilot in 2019 in which BP Travel Marketing, which distributes tour operators’ brochures to travel agents, provided and collected recycling bins for brochure packaging to 150 travel agencies.

It is hoped the new pilot could encourage other operators to adopt more sustainable brochure packaging, according to BP Travel Marketing head of sales Tom Bullen.

He added: “We’re delighted to have worked with Explore Worldwide on this new approach. Our relationship spans 15 years and we continually strive to improve not only our performance in delivering for their business, but also what we can do together to create a more sustainable future.”

Explore recently launched carbon ratings for all its tours and has called on the rest of the industry to follow suit to improve transparency of the environmental impact of travel and help consumers to make more informed choices.

Ben Ittensohn, director of global sales, Explore Worldwide, said: “Recyclable cardboard wrapping is more sustainable for the planet and is the right way forward for the industry. It will help us towards our goal of reducing our carbon footprint by 50% by 2030, and to achieve net zero as soon as possible before 2050.”

Menzies has also been recognised for its commitment to socially responsible and sustainable practices, with accolales including Green Fleet of the Year for the second consecutive year at the What Van? Awards 2022 and Logistics UK’s Sustainable Van Operator of the Year.