BPF answers Populus poll calling for plastic free shop aisles

The British Plastics Federation has reacted to the release of a survey by a new advocacy organisation, ‘A Plastic Planet’, which has published results from a survey it commissioned by Populus, via Higginson PR, which asked 2000 people if ‘they support or oppose the introduction of a supermarket aisle that features only products that are free of plastic packaging.’

1820 respondents (91 per cent) said they would support a ‘plastic-free aisle’, an unsurprising tally given the loaded presupposing question. The poll has since been covered in the Grocer, the Independent online, and the New Statesman.

The BPF responded: ‘A decade ago, a major retailer trialled selling cucumbers without plastic packaging but the scheme was abandoned due to the huge amount of food that was wasted. Typically, food waste in stores increases by a third without packaging, so cutting out plastic packaging in areas within supermarkets would actually cause harm to the environment because the energy used to produce food is much greater than in the packaging protecting it.

Plastic packaging uses less energy to produce than alternatives, reduces transport costs and Carbon Dioxide emissions because it is lightweight, and significantly reduces the amount of food wasted by protecting it in a hygienic environment and extending its shelf life. Avoiding the protection of plastic packaging would also increase food waste during transit and once it reached the home. Plastics are a reusable resource that needs to be disposed of responsibly and recycled whenever possible — and focussing efforts on improving public understanding, reducing littering and enhancing the UK’s recycling infrastructure would be a better way of achieving a sustainable future.’

Sian Sutherland, Founder of A Plastic Planet, said: “It’s becoming increasingly clear that the Great British Public wants a fresh alternative to goods laden with plastic packaging. Too much of our plastic waste ends up in oceans and landfill.

“Consumer demand for products that generate less plastic waste is higher than ever. A Plastic Free Aisle would help supermarkets meet the needs of shoppers who are fed up of buying products covered with layer after layer of throwaway plastic.

“For years we’ve able to buy gluten-free, dairy-free, and fat-free, so why not plastic free?”