Reduce Think Packaging

Packaging is needed to protect products, particularly food, but too much is a big waste. Next time you are out shopping, remember to think packaging!

Why is packaging needed?

  • Packaging helps food to last longer, which helps to reduce waste
  • Packaging is needed to transport products without damaging them

The problem with excess packaging

Even though some packaging is necessary, a lot of products have excess packaging.

Most products with excess packaging could use less, or smarter packaging, such as recyclable material, to give the same amount of protection.

There are now new regulations – Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) – which incentivises producers to make more sustainable decisions in the design and use of packaging.

Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR)

  • pEPR moves the full net cost of dealing with packaging waste generated by households from local taxpayers and councils to businesses that place packaging on the market. These businesses will be obliged to pay these costs to local authorities.
  • pEPR will cover the following packaging materials: Aluminium, fibre-based composites, paper or board, plastic, steel, wood, glass and other (e.g. bamboo, cork, ceramics).
  • Potential benefits of pEPR include increased recycling rates by encouraging producers to design easier to recycle packaging, as producers will pay more for items that are harder to recycle. It should also encourage innovation such as innovative packaging solutions that are more sustainable and recyclable.

What can we do?

Here are some tips to help reduce and reuse packaging.

Reducing packaging

  • Look for products with less packaging and products with no packaging, such as loose fruit and veg
  • Buy products that use recycled packaging and can be recycled in your local area
  • Buy concentrated products and refill packs, such as fabric conditioner and washing powders
  • Where possible, buy larger or economy sizes of goods such as breakfast cereal, tomato ketchup, toilet rolls and soap powder

Reusing packaging

  • Use plastic ice cream tubs for storing leftover food in the fridge
  • Paint old jam jars with glass paints to make nightlights, or use them to store homemade chutneys
  • Use empty biscuit tins to store spare buttons or screws
  • Grow seedlings in empty yogurt pots

Recycling packaging

  • Cans and tins – Your steel and aluminium food tins and drinks cans are widely recycled. Don’t forget to rinse them out first
  • Glass – Glass is widely recycled. Don’t forget that as well as wine and beer bottles you can recycle sauce jars, coffee jars and even Marmite jars
  • Cardboard – Cardboard packaging can be recycled too. Things like cereal boxes, ready meal sleeves and tea bag boxes can all be recycled
  • Plastic bottles – These are widely recycled. Don’t forget you can recycle things like shampoo and bleach bottles as well
  • Other plastic – Items such as yogurt pots and margarine tubs can be recycled in your kerbside collection. Don’t forget to recycle your plastic food trays too
  • Plastic bags – Reuse your plastic bags where possible but if you need to dispose of them they can be recycled in your kerbside collection and at many supermarkets too

How to complain about excessive packaging

If you spot an item which you think has excessive packaging you can complain about it, which should encourage the manufacturer to look into reducing their packaging. You can complain in the following ways:

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