Sainsbury's forced to defend new vacuum-packed mince that 'turns to mush'
6 April 2023, 08:42 | Updated: 6 April 2023, 09:37
Sainsbury's has been forced to defend its new vacuum-packed mince after customers complained about its quality and texture.
The supermarket giant has explained that the mince is now being vacuum-packed in an attempt to reduce plastic use by 55 per cent.
But customers have questioned the supermarket's decision, with one shopper saying the product "looks grey due to lack of oxygen and all texture removed from it in the process".
Defending its decision in an email sent to customers, Sainsbury's said: "You may have seen that our minced beef packaging has had a bit of a revamp."
They continued: "The new and improved vacuum packaging makes the mince look a little different to what you're used to.
"So we'd like to reassure you that our mince is as good as it's always been, right down to the taste and quality.
"And if it's using 55% less plastic and saving over 450 tonnes of plastic a year, we say it's a win."
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Sorry @sainsburys… have always bought my minced beef from you but am now going out of my way to buy elsewhere. Vacuum packed liver and steak works well. Vacuum packed mince doesn’t work. #customerchoice #packagingfail #lostcustomer pic.twitter.com/eDSq8ug491
— LindaD 🇬🇧🏴 (@seagull4a) April 6, 2023
Sainsbury's has also been replying to customers on social media in an attempt to reassure them that the quality of their beef has not gone down in the new packaging.
One Sainsbury's shopper Sam Bowman tweeted that he was "not a fan of the new Sainsbury's beef mince packaging".
"Feels very medical - like I've just bought someone's kidney to cook at home," Sam added.
Hi @sainsburys, your new mince packaging is stupid, pointless, green washing. You've got rid of the 55% that's actually recyclable, the cost to the consumer has remained the same, and despite your claims the quality IS worse because the vacuum packed beef doesn't brown properly. pic.twitter.com/YVFPzQcpdv
— Sam W. 🐀 (@TheHumanEwok_) April 5, 2023
Meanwhile, another customer said the new vacuum-packed mince. has "no minced texture at all".
Sainsbury's official Twitter account replied saying that its new packaging process "makes the mince more compact than before".
"It does require more breaking up in the pan with the back of a spoon or spatula," it added.
