Morrisons, Waitrose and John Lewis have said they will not be using glitter in their own-brand Christmas products this year.
Glitter, which is made of tiny pieces of plastic, can wash into the environment, harm wildlife and get into the food chain. It is an ecological hazard which takes hundreds of years to degrade.
This move by retailers is part of a wider push to try reduce festive plastic pollution:
Morrisons said in October that it would completely remove glitter from all of its own brand Christmas ranges including cards, crackers, wrapping paper, present bags, flowers, plants and wreaths. It will also include only paper, metal or wooden toys in its Christmas crackers, which will be completely plastic free.
Morrisons said its decision would remove 50 tonnes of plastic from its shelves during the festive period and this will extend to non-seasonal lines.
Waitrose and John Lewis will also remove glitter from all single-use products this Christmas. It said: "all own-brand cards, crackers, wrapping paper, gift bags are now 100% glitter-free".
Waitrose has been phasing out glitter over the past few years and has a target to make its own brand packaging widely recycled, reusable or home compostable by 2023.
Campaign group Friends of the Earth said retailers "are right to ditch unnecessary plastic this Christmas".
"People can still enjoy the festive season without the glitter and pointless packaging that add to the waves of plastic pollution that pour into our environment every year and threaten our wildlife".
But Tony Bosworth, Friends of the Earth campaigner, said we must go further, and call for the UK Government to set targets for firms to phase out the use of unnecessary plastic.
