Across the UK, environmentalists and shoppers have started leaving plastic packaging on food items at the check-out. This action aims to call out the supermarkets to take responsibility for the disposing of the plastic packaging used on food items unnecessarily. Greenpeace campaigners have left the plastic at the check-outs with messages left for the manager to reduce excessive single-use packaging.
“Everyone knows that supermarket packaging borders on ridiculous – but now we know how much damage it’s doing to the environment. Supermarkets need to set solid, timed commitments to reduce how much plastic they put on their shelves. Just like plastic pollution, we’re not going away until they take action,” said Anthony Lewis, part of the protest at Marks and Spencer.
“It’s well past time supermarkets selling tonnes of single-use plastic packaging took responsibility for their part in the plastic problem that’s clogging up our oceans. The government has to act, but these shops also have a huge and vital role to play by listening to their customers’ concerns and cutting the overall amount of throwaway plastic they create. Supermarkets urgently need to remove unnecessary and non-recyclable plastics from the shelves by 2019 and embrace truly sustainable alternatives including reusable packaging,” said Greenpeace UK oceans campaigner, Elena Polisano.
