Brits feel retailers 'not doing enough' to reduce plastic packaging

Consumers do not think that UK retailers and brands are doing enough to reduce the use of plastic packaging, finds a new research.

According to new research by Aquapak released today (4), 65 per cent of Britis consumers feel that they were falling short when it comes to cutting harmful plastic, with just 18 per cent saying they are doing enough.

The findings show that British shoppers want to see retailers take positive steps to reduce the impact of the packaging they use on the environment.

While almost 59 per cent said they wanted to see the conventional plastic used in packaging replaced with an alternative material which can be recycled and doesn’t harm the environment, 57 per cent said they should use more paper-based packaging which can go into kerbside recycling collections.

Almost half (49 per cent) said that they should stop using traditional single-use plastic completely.

Over the next 12 months, 56 per cent of those surveyed said they will try and buy more products that do not use single-use plastic packaging, such as polyethylene bags and hard to recycle packaging like crisp packets and chocolate wrappers.

They are prepared to take even more extreme steps over the next three years, with 46 per cent saying they will stop buying products that use single-use packaging and hard to recycle packaging altogether.

Almost one third (32 per cent) of consumers said that they would be prepared to pay more for packaging which is 100 per cent recyclable when they buy products such as dry foods and snacks. Of these, 43 per cent said they would pay 5 per cent more.

Mark Lapping, Chief Executive Officer of Aquapak, comments, “Our research shows that consumers want to see more from brands and retailers when it comes to cutting the use of plastic packaging.

"We recognise that businesses have many challenges to deal with when it comes sustainability, whether it is carbon, water or biodiversity but it is important that they don’t just pay lip service to new technologies but opt for real change.

“The good news is that there is a commercially proven solution that will make their plastic packaging problems disappear.

:We have developed Hydropol which can be incorporated into paper to create planet-friendly wrappers for dry foods, snacks and confectionery, or used as film to make garment bags, providing an alternative to current packaging which is hard to recycle and inconvenient for consumers.”

Aquapak has developed a marine-safe, non-toxic polymer technology called Hydropol, which breaks down harmlessly in all existing recycling streams.

When used in place of conventional plastic in crisp and snack wrappers it makes unrecyclable packaging fully recyclable because the Hydropol layer is formulated to dissolve or biodegrades completely. If it does escape into the environment, it is easily broken down by micro-organisms without forming harmful microplastics.

Nothing is left behind except CO2, water and biomass that can even be used in renewable energy plants, claims Aquapak.