Tesco to phase out microbeads from its products by end of 2016

All of the supermarket's own-brand cosmetics and cleaning products will be free from the tiny plastic pieces within a month

Tesco will have phased out microbeads from all its own brand cosmetics and household cleaning products within a month, it was announced on Thursday.

While UK ministers recently said personal care products containing these tiny pieces of plastic will be banned from sale by the end of 2017, it is not clear yet whether the ban will extend to other types of products that rely on their abrasive properties.