Remembrance poppies go on sale after major plastic-free redesign
The Royal British Legion has unveiled its first plastic-free poppy featuring flowers and a stem made entirely from recyclable paper.
Thursday 26 October 2023 03:25, UK
Remembrance poppies have been redesigned for 2023 鈥� and they鈥檙e now plastic-free and recyclable for the first time.
On sale from today, the Royal British Legion's new look poppy has flowers made from paper, produced from a blend of renewable fibres which people can recycle at home.
They have a black centre embossed with 'Poppy Appeal' and no longer come with a plastic stem or middle.
The poppies can still be fastened with a pin in the paper stem or worn in a buttonhole, and a stick-on version is also available.
The public can buy the new poppy from thousands of volunteers across the UK or in major supermarkets.
The previous design can still be purchased as the Royal British Legion is clearing out old stock. These can be recycled at Sainsbury's supermarkets.
The charity said the plastic-free poppy has been in development for three years as part of its efforts to become more sustainable.
The Royal British Legion's annual appeal calls for people to wear a red poppy as a show of solidarity with the armed forces in the days leading up to Remembrance Sunday, which falls on 12 November this year.
The cash raised supports serving personnel, their families and veterans all year round, providing help with everything from recovery after trauma to living amid the cost of living crisis.
In order to meet the demand for poppies, 170,000 are produced a day and an analysis from University College London suggests the redesign - the first since the mid-1990s - could reduce emissions by 40%.
D-Day and Royal Navy veteran John Roberts, 99, from Whitstable, said: "I've been wearing a poppy for more than 70 years, all different versions from cardboard ones, cotton ones and ones with a plastic centre and today's new plastic-free version, but while the poppies have changed what will always remain is its important meaning.
"When I see people wearing a poppy, I think of all those we lost in World War Two.
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"During the D-Day landings, my ship was based just offshore at Sword Beach. I witnessed the destruction happening on land - I'd never seen anything like it and never saw anything like it again.
"I was one of the lucky ones who survived as our ship was narrowly missed by a torpedo, so I wear my poppy to remember those who weren't so lucky."