Image copyright Getty Images Sales of “bags for life” increased to 1.5 bn in 2015 as the quantity of plastic utilized by grocery stores increased to 900,000 tonnes, Greenpeace research study has actually discovered.
Campaigners are requiring greater charges for the bags or a total restriction as the research study revealed homes purchased approximately 54 a year.
In 2016, there were 2bn single-use bags offered. Bags for life need to be utilized 4 times to be much better for the environment.
Retailers state they have actually lowered plastic product packaging for their own-brand items.
In their 2nd yearly research study of plastic usage by UK grocery stores , Greenpeace and marketing charity the Environmental Investigation Agency conclude the increasing sales of bags for life mean they are utilized as a non reusable choice by numerous consumers.
Many grocery stores have actually stopped offering 5p single-use bags completely in favour of more powerful 10p bags, which are planned to be recycled.
- Plastic bag sales in England cut in half in previous year
- Reality Check: Where does the plastic bag charge go?
- Plastic or paper: Which bag is greener?
A research study by the Environment Agency concluded that these plastic bags for life required to be utilized a minimum of 4 times to guarantee they contributed less to environment modification than the lighter, single-use bags.
The Greenpeace and EIA research study states that bag for life sales were cut by 90% in the Republic of Ireland by setting greater rates of 70 cents. The report advises a charge of 70p or “preferably” a federal government restriction.
The research study likewise discovered that general grocery store plastic usage has actually increased to more than 900,000 tonnes in 2018, in spite of promises by sellers to reduce product packaging.
The previous year, they utilized 886,000 tonnes of single-use plastic product packaging.
Ultimatum on plastic
Fiona Nicholls, ocean plastics advocate for Greenpeace UK, stated: “Supermarkets are stopping working on plastics and failing their clients.
“We hear piecemeal grocery store statements on plastic every other week, however in truth they are putting more plastic on the racks than ever.”
The report discovered that grocery stores had actually somewhat minimized the plastic from own-brand items however that product packaging from branded products increased.
Image copyright Getty Images Only Tesco has actually provided providers a demand to cut plastic usage or see their items gotten rid of from the racks.
The report ranked the grocery stores by their development on decreasing plastic and their future strategies.
Challenging targets
Waitrose was ranked leading for cutting its product packaging and experimenting with refill stations for items such as coffee, rice, cleaning agent, red wine and pasta.
Morrisons came 2nd and was applauded for setting a measured target to increase refillable and recyclable product packaging, along with making its loose and refillable items 10% less expensive than packaged options.
The British Retail Consortium, which represents other stores and significant grocery stores, stated merchants accomplished a drop in their own-brand plastic usage by getting rid of all polystyrene product packaging and plastic flatware in addition to trialling refillable choices.
But Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability, stated “more requires to be done” and grocery stores have actually set “difficult” targets with the objective of making all product packaging 100% multiple-use, compostable or recyclable.
Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50579077
Recent Comments