New poppy for Remembrance Day 2023: Royal British Legion reveal paper poppy - how to buy

The Royal British Legion has announced a huge change to its poppies just in time for Remembrance Day 2023 as a new ‘planet friendly’ version that is plastic-free has been revealed. The historic symbol will be made from recycled paper and discarded coffee cups for the first time since it was introduced 102 years ago.

Experts at University College London are behind the grand re-design, which took three years to develop. There will be adhesive poppies on top of the traditional pin-on version.

Around 50% of the material will come from used coffee cups and the rest from renewable fibres in a move that is understood to have significantly reduced its carbon footprint. The Royal British Legion has described the change as “an enduring symbol of remembrance as well as being more planet-friendly”.

Andy Taylor-Whyte, who is the Poppy Appeal director at the Royal British Legion, said in a statement: “We’re so proud to unveil our plastic-free poppy, which is completely recyclable, and hope that this will encourage more people than ever to take part in this year’s Poppy Appeal and show support to our armed forces community.

“After years of work and collaboration with our partners designing a new poppy, creating new paper and machinery and road-testing it for durability and colour-fastness, we have been able to eliminate single-use plastic and create a poppy that is an enduring symbol of respect and remembrance as well as being more planet-friendly.

He continued: “We’d like to encourage everyone to get a poppy this year when they become available. The money raised will allow us to provide expert advice and guidance to support the armed forces community across a wide range of issues, including mobility, homelessness, life challenges such as family breakdowns, and mental health.”

Plastic-free environmental poppy release date and how to buy

The new poppy will be sold alongside remaining stocks of the current version of poppies at all your usual places across the country from 26 October until Remembrance Day, which falls on 12 November.