Gift cards are not a novelty retail add-on. In the UK, the market generates over £7 billion in annual sales, with grocery, fashion, experience and general retail accounting for the largest share. For larger retailers, gift cards integrate with multi-processor networks and national distribution. For independents, they are a simple, high-margin product with year-round relevance.
Plastic gift cards are almost impossible to recycle in the UK. They end up in landfill or are incinerated, releasing toxic gases including Dioxin. As consumer awareness of single-use plastic grows, this is an increasing reputational risk for retailers with sustainability ambitions.
Green Gift Cards produces retail gift cards on Invercote paperboard — the premium board used in Apple's product packaging — that look and perform identically to their plastic equivalents. These are not compromise products. They are production-grade cards made to the same specifications as the plastic cards they replace.
Our cards carry the Plastic Free Trust Mark, making Green Gift Cards the only card producer in the UK with this certification. They are also FSC certified. Both logos can feature on your cards, giving them clear, recognised sustainability credentials your customers can see.
Large retail gift card programmes need to integrate with processor and distribution networks. Our unique registered-design formats include the InComm-style M6 card and the Blackhawk Network CR80 'Snap' card — the only paperboard versions of these formats available anywhere.
We offer eco card packaging from MOQ 500 via our Burgopak partnership, complementing your green credentials.
Greener
Compostable and recyclable
Cheaper
Save up to 40% compared to plastic
Quicker
Turnaround average 20 working days
Switching to paperboard gift cards can save retailers up to 40% compared to plastic production costs.
The Plastic Free Trust Mark logo on a retail gift card is a marketing asset — it differentiates on shelf, aligns with corporate sustainability targets and gives customers a reason to choose your card over a competitor's.
For retailers with sustainability reporting obligations, switching the gift card programme is a measurable, communicable action. For those without, it is an easy win ahead of a regulatory environment that is only moving in one direction.
Whether you are a national retailer or a growing independent, we have formats and volumes to suit your programme. Request a sample to compare quality, or get in touch to discuss processor integration, design and lead times.
Let's Discuss Your Project
Our cards have been swipe-tested more than 400 times with no degradation in data or card quality. They are compatible with standard card readers and PDQ terminals. For contactless applications, the RFID inlay is paper-based rather than plastic or PET, and is CTF repulpable certified for recycling at end of life.
Cards have also passed an 80 degrees Celsius wick test, confirming the lamination holds under heat and moisture — conditions relevant to retail environments, delivery and storage.
Every retailer has different requirements for their gift card offerings. Wwitching to plastic-free gift cards really is a visible, credible action that your shoppers will notice.
Get in touch to talk through your personalisation needs and quantities. We handle everything from design guidance to delivery.
Request a sample pack
If you would like to actually feel and see the quality of our Green Gift Card, we will happily send you some samples.
Customers
Green Gift Cards works with a diverse range of customers, from global brands to independent retailers, all committed to reducing plastic waste.
