Launched on Saturday 12 January, the biodegradable wrapping is based on potato starch that readers are encouraged to compost or put in their food waste recycling bin.
The Saturday Weekend magazine, the Guide, Feast, and Review are now wrapped in a material based on potato starch, which does not contain any genetically modified material.
The change increases production costs for The Guardian but is part of the newspaper’s plan to reduce plastic waste, following feedback from readers. The change is being phased in across the whole of the country over the coming months, starting with readers in London, Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.
As a result, the price of the weekday Guardian has increased by 20p to £2.20, while the Saturday edition increases by 30p to £3.20. The Observer now costs £3.20 following a 20p increase. Subscribers to the print edition are unaffected by the price rise.
Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief of The Guardian, said: “Investigative reporting is difficult, costly and time-consuming. Thanks to the support of readers who buy The Guardian, the Observer and the Guardian Weekly in print, subscribe to our digital premium app, or make financial contributions to the Guardian, we are on the path to financial sustainability.
“But the economic conditions for newspapers remain very tough. Sales of all newspapers are in historic decline; advertisers increasingly spend their money with technology giants rather than publishers; and the costs of printing, paper and distribution continue to rise.”
Source: The Guardian
