Consumers do not think that UK retailers and brands are doing enough to reduce the use of plastic packaging, according to new research by Aquapak, which showed that 65% felt that they were falling short when it comes to cutting harmful plastic, with just 18% 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:
- 59% 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% said they should use more paper-based packaging which can go into kerbside recycling collections.
- 49% said that they should stop using traditional single-use plastic completely.
If such changes are not made, the findings suggest that consumers are happy to vote with their feet.
Over the next 12 months, 56% 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% saying they will stop buying products that use single-use packaging and hard to recycle packaging altogether.
For retailers and brands facing environmental challenges throughout the supply chain, they should take heart from the fact that almost one third (32%) of consumers said that they would be prepared to pay more for packaging which is 100% recyclable when they buy products such as dry foods and snacks. Of these, 43% said they would pay 5% more. Some 30% said they would pay more for clothing and accessories packaged in recyclable material, with 41% of these saying that would be happy to pay 5% more.
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. This means that consumers can put packaging and wrappers made with Hydropol in their kerbside collections where it is recycled alongside paper, plastic, metal or food without any risk of contamination, where it disappears without a trace.
Garment bags made with Hydropol present zero end-of-life issues for consumers and brands. They can be disposed of in existing domestic waste streams without contaminating other recyclable products or they can be dissolved immediately in hot water at home without producing dangerous micro-plastics. They also degrade harmlessly on land or in the ocean.
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.”