Pret A Manger to introduce compostable cutlery

The sandwich chain continues to look for ways to cut its dependence on plastic.

Pret A Manger has announced that it is bringing compostable cutlery to its stores next year.

In a tweet, the brand announced that all of its forks, knives and spoons will soon be made from biodegradable materials.

The decision comes after a previous trial to introduce wooden cutlery proved unpopular with customers. In the meantime, the brand announced that it will keep cutlery behind tills to encourage people to bring their own.

"First we trialled wooden cutlery, and you told us it just wasn't up to scratch. The good news is we will introduce compostable cutelery to all our UK shops next year,” Pret wrote in a tweet.

"In the meantime, we are testing keeping cutlery behind our tills to see if this also makes a difference."

Pret’s biodegradable cutlery will likely be made from corn starch, which has become a popular alternative for companies working to cut their plastic use.

This is the sandwich chain's latest move to encourage customers to cut plastic waste. Just last year, Pret started giving a 50p discount on hot beverages for customers who bring in their own cup. In addition, aiming to reduce the use of disposable plastic bottles, the brand is also offering free tap water in some stores to customers and passers-by.

(Photo credit: Pret A Manger Facebook page)