An anti-waste charity has urged the UK government to abolish plastic packaging for fresh produce in a sweeping proposal.
Anti-waste charity, Wrap has called for the UK government to implement a ban on plastic packaging for 21 types of fresh produce in supermarkets. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to transform consumer shopping habits by 2030. The targeted items include everyday fruits and vegetables such as bananas, apples, potatoes, and tomatoes.
Harriet Lamb, Chief Executive of Wrap, expressed the challenges of implementing such a significant change, stating to The Guardian that it would be “one of the biggest changes in the retail landscape in a while.” This proposal has been prompted by concerning statistics revealing that UK households dispose of nearly 100 billion pieces of plastic packaging each year, with around 30% of fresh produce being unnecessarily discarded.
Wrap contends that banning plastic packaging would be a decisive step towards interrupting the cycle of waste. Estimates suggest that removing packaging from these items, when sold in quantities under 1.5 kilograms, could prevent 100,000 tonnes of fruits and vegetables from becoming waste each year and reduce single-use plastic film by 13,000 tonnes.
The proposal is not without precedent. France has already enacted regulations banning packaging for many fresh products, setting an example for the UK to potentially follow. The specific produce under this proposal includes apples, aubergines, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, garlic, ginger, lemons, limes, mangos, onions, oranges, parsnips, pears, peppers, potatoes, salad tomatoes, squash, and swedes.
The UK Plastics Pact, a voluntary programme led by Wrap, has aimed to have 50% of uncut fruits and vegetables sold loose by the end of the decade. However, progress towards this objective remains sluggish, with just 19.4% of fresh produce sales being loose as of 2022.
The proposed plastic packaging ban reflects a critical step in addressing environmental concerns and reducing waste, albeit one that may require significant adjustments in the retail industry’s approach.
