This packaging takes the piss

[insanitypack]

I tweeted Waitrose and this was their response:

Hi Sam, reducing our impact on the environment is really important to us and we know it is to our customers too. We have committed to making all our own-label packaging widely recyclable, reusable, or home compostable by 2025.

Surely this product shouldn't have made it onto shelves in the first bloody place! Madness.

Meat certainly doesn’t need that much packaging unless you’re going to kick it all the way home. A lot of it is very much about a premium look which is a shame. You would hope the food would be able to speak for itself.

Haven’t read through the whole thread so apologies if this has been mentioned. I fully agree with holding supermarkets responsible for their over use of plastic. However if you do find you have non recyclable plastic waster you can use it to make an eco brick. There are fb groups for different parts of the U.K. with information about how to make them and where to drop them off although I’m in Northern Ireland and am struggling to find a drop off point. I will keep looking though. Otherwise I might just have to build a wall or something.

Thanks TeddyIsaHe I have a dehydrator. How long will it take in that? Surely not 6 weeks? I think I'll also try the airing cupboard method when the heating is on more.

I’m at the supermarket as we speak and one thing has utterly shocked me. All the Christmas party clothes are in for adult women and girls and they are COVERED in beading and sequins or if not they’ve got metalic thread. And almost without exception each item is £12 or under. Either half the shiny bits will come out in the wash and end up in the ocean or they will end up in landfill come March. I’m sure a lot of people would refuse to use a plastic straw now lest it end up in a turtle’s nose but wouldn’t think twice about going to their Christmas party in head to toe sequins that will end up in a turtle’s gut one day.

Fast fashion is as appalling as over packaged food and consumer goods and we all need to think very seriously about how we are living and how sustainable (or not) it is.

Sorry, that was a long rant. I’m just appalled at the fact that about 50% of the clothing section (not for men or boys but that’s another debate) was basically made of plastic. Even the pyjamas and underwear.

All the Christmas party clothes are in for adult women and girls and they are COVERED in beading and sequins or if not they’ve got metalic thread.

They are also made of synthetic fabrics that shed fibres into the environment, fleece products do the same etc etc

Yes, but how many people on the street actually are aware of microfibres? Sequins and beads are front and centre for everyone to see but don’t seem to be subject to the same controversy as other plastics.

how many people on the street actually are aware of microfibres?

And? They need to realise that every day clothing poses a bigger risk than a few sequins at Christmas.

Yes they do. I’m not for a second disagreeing with you so there’s no need for you to be so needlessly aggressive.

My point still remains: clothing entirely covered in sequins and beads is obviously plastic, if it costs £5 it’s likely to end up in landfill or the seas so why don’t people care as much as with plastic straws?

I never even considered the fact that sequins being plastic 😯.

There's loads about atm.

Are not being

Couldn't the garlic be packaged in cardboard or glass not plastic?

But sometimes we have the choice between buying the product as presented, or not buying it at all. The manufacturers need to take the lead and stop using excessive or non recyclable packaging and use alternatives to plastic wherever possible.

We also need to do our bit by taking refillable bottles with drinks in and buying fewer plastic bottles while out, not using plastic cutlery etc.

Years ago I complained to Green & Blacks that I thought the multipack of mini bars was overpackaged as there was a load of plastic inside a much bigger cardboard box than you get today.

They replied thanking me for my comments which were timely as they were just reconsidering their packaging.

A few months later they sent me a free pack of the new redesigned smaller, less plastic, pack .

They need to stop using black plastic at all if it cannot be recycled even if it is the right type of plastic.

Who cares if focus groups tell them the the food looks nicer or better quality when presented like that?

Direct Action!
Someone suggested upthread everyone just leaving the excess packaging. Honestly, if shoppers at the till started removing food from the ridiculous layers that supermarkets overwrap everything in and leaving it at the checkout, so the shop has to deal with it, they'd soon start making changes.

Maybe some of us should try it?

I thought this was going to be about Amazon's packing. The number of unbreakable items they send in giant boxes surrounded by protective paper is just ridiculous.

But sometimes it's not practical to leave the packaging in the shop.

For example, many people find the single serve pet food or baby food sachets convenient, and for pet food at least, the product doesn't keep well once opened - it smells different after an hour or two, I'm sure this is deliberate to 'make' people use the more profitable sachets rather than cans.

So the sachets should be made recyclable and and all councils should recycle them - maybe something like the cups scheme, where they're all sent to a few specialist facilities to deal with these difficult to recycle hybrid plastic/foil or plastic/paper materials.

Some packaging is also trying to fool the consumer. I remember as a child the dissapointment when I open up an Easter egg, it was as much packaging as egg!