Cytoplan, a supplier of premium supplements, has introduced biodegradable and compostable pots made from sugar cane to replac its previous recyclable plastic pots. 

The move will be a hard roll out from November, with almost all products bought from Cytoplan via its website now encased in the updated packaging. The company has also committed to plastic-free shipping too. 

The plastic-free pots and packaging will remove more than 15 tonnes of plastic from consumer circulation every year, the company says, equating to one million plastic pots in 2022. 

Amanda Williams; CEO of Cytoplan, said: “Our philosophy at Cytoplan has always centred around working with nature and science to improve health and this is our next step in that journey, wher we can take action to help protect the health of our planet too. We have always believed in combining science-backed knowledge with the benefits of nature to create healthful supplements and have remained dedicated to supporting our customers both ethically and sustainably by sourcing the highest quality ingredients while being mindful of our environmental footprint and the welfare of our producers. 

“We have been committed to finding an eco-friendly solution to our recyclable supplement pots which also prioritises long term product integrity for some time. Research undertaken into other materials, such as glass, was not a viable solution due to the significant energy usage during both the manufacturing and transport process. 

“We now source our raw material from surplus production of sugar cane from farmers in Southeast Asia, which in turn helps to stabilise sugar prices. In this way, food supply is not affected, and we make use of the surplus from sugar cane farming. This provides an ideal, natural and sustainable solution that, importantly, doesn’t compromise on product quality or integrity either.” 

The company, which brought Wholefood and Food State supplements to the European market, claims it’s the first to offer customers nutritional supplements in packaging made from surplus sugar cane, a byproduct of the sugar cane industry that otherwise would go to waste. 

Wholly owned by The AIM Foundation, Cytoplan says it invests in health and nutritional projects across the UK and address issues such as community wellbeing, mental health and environmental projects. This year, in partnership with the Essex Wildlife Trust, part of funding has gone towards raising the profile of local seagrass habitats.