IT’S THE END of an era for a small but familiar feature of many Irish kitchen presses, as Flahavan’s has moved to remove the plastic 30g scoop from its Quick Oats tubs.

The company says the change is aimed at reducing unnecessary plastic.

They’re now encouraging customers instead to hold on to and reuse any existing scoops, which have been sold in their quick oats tubs since 2004, or to measure things the old-fashioned way.

According to Flahavan’s, a standard serving of 30g of oats works out at roughly a third of a measuring cup, or five tablespoons.

The move is part of a wider push by the company to improve the sustainability of its packaging, with Flahavan’s saying it is working to “minimise our impact on the earth” while continuing to deliver its products.

Reaction online has been mixed.

Some commenters questioned the motivation behind the change, suggesting it may be more about cutting costs than cutting plastic.

“They’re not doing this for the environment that’s just a marketing bonus it’s really to cut costs operating costs again AND take something away from consumers,” one commenter wrote on Instagram.

Some also asked if Flahavan’s could continue to provide the scoops in shops, and allow customers to order them from Flahavan’s directly.

Others took a more practical view, wondering what first-time buyers are supposed to do without a scoop to start with.

But not everyone is mourning its loss. Some welcomed the decision, describing the scoop as unnecessary plastic that often ended up repurposed, or simply unused, around the house.

So, what do you think of the move by Flahavan’s?