THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION remembrance poppies will be plastic-free and recyclable for the first time this year in a move to reduce single-use plastics.

The Legion’s Poppy Appeal 2023 is launching a new poppy, coming as the first redesign in a generation.

The British public will be able to buy the plastic-free version from today.

They will also be able to purchase existing poppies with plastic, which can be recycled at Sainsbury’s supermarkets, as the charity looks to clear out its remaining stock.

The annual campaign calls for the British public to wear a poppy as a show of solidarity towards the British armed forces community in the lead up to Remembrance Sunday, which falls on 12 November this year.

It also raises funds to support veterans of the British army, serving personnel and their families all year round.

The charity said it has been developing the plastic-free poppy for the past three years as part of its efforts to become more sustainable and reduce its use of single-use plastic.

The new flowers are made from 100% paper, produced from a blend of renewable fibres from responsible sources, which can be recycled in household collections.

The Royal British Legion said 50% of the paper also comes from the offcuts created during the production of paper coffee cups.

The poppies feature a black centre embossed with the words “Poppy Appeal”, and no longer have a plastic stem or centre.

They can be fastened with a pin in the stem, worn in a buttonhole or a stick-on version is available.

The Royal British Legion, which produces 170,000 poppies a day to meet the demand ahead of Remembrance Sunday, said an analysis from University College London scientists suggests the new design could reduce emissions by 40%.

It is the first redesign of the poppies since the mid-1990s and the latest in a series of designs since it was first used to raise funds in 1921 following the First World War.