to be annoyed with Sainsburys - single use plastic

[floraloctopus]

So this month I've been prompted to do plastic free July. So far I've only one plastic bottle as I've switched to a local supplier who provide milk in glass bottles.

It's been awkward because of the lack of drinks not in plastic bottles so I emailed Tesco and Sainsburys (where I usually shop). Tesco replied within 24 hours explaining their plans to reduce single use plastic, Sainsburys didn't bother to answer to the email I sent several days ago.

What kind of drinks?

Squash, fruit juice, milk, flavoured milk, most things fizzy, instant coffee - not that I buy all those but I had a look to see what there was in non-plastic bottles. Maybe it's better in the bigger stores but we only have a little Sainsburys and a little Tescos.

You can buy lots in cartons especially juice, squash comes in glass bottles. Coffee is in glass jars and tins.

I thought you meant the sheer cheek of plastic containers for food and vegetables on a he shelf’s yet charging customers for bags -

My nearest sainsbury is appalling. It's not one of the mini Sainsburys but practically all the fruit and veg they sell is pre wrapped in plastic for starters. They are truly hopeless. The problem is I don't drive and there are no other supermarkets within reasonable distance. If my husband drives we have a fantastic supermarket which is deliberately trying to be as plastic free as possible.we also can access a wider range of shops.

I've contacted Sainsburys in the past and like your experience they just dont bother to reply.
I'm waiting longer in between shops now and going with DH so i schedule and plan better.
Driving now and shopping elsewhere but less frequently. Better options all round.

I think for most of those you can use a larger store, order online or make your own. And possibly consider a Sosastream or similar?

Isn't all instant coffee in glass except refils which are in recyclable packaging?
If you want milk in glass, try local milkman

I'm with you OP! I wrote to them recently as I ordered bananas on my delivery and they put 2 bananAs in a plastic bag.
They never responded.

Buy fruit and juice it yourself? Give up squash or buy the super concentrated stuff that gives loads of portions in a tiny bottle?

It's not a problem for me, I just don't buy the stuff in the plastic bottles but the fact that the stores are selling so much stuff in plastic that other people do buy - it should be easy to avoid plastic bottles.

Sainsburys don't seem to care much about it or they would reply explaining what they are doing.

They are rubbish but are making some changes this year www.about.sainsburys.co.uk/news/latest-news/2019/30042019-commitments-plastic

We’re trying to cut down too and will be buying from supermarkets that have strategies to support this. It seems, like so many things, that the tipping point for supermarkets to act responsibly only comes when customers vote with their feet but also write and let them know why. So I’ll be writing to Sainsburys with the same query about single use plastics to add another voice. Meanwhile, will be shopping elsewhere. The positive thing is that for so many people that I know this has now become a genuine issue and is therefore informing shopping choices.

Well, people wanted the stuff cheap. Still do. Plastic is cheap. Hence so much plastic.
Pay extra and you can have glass or paper packaging.

Shouldn't it be the food manufacturers such as Coca-Cola and Nestlé that you need to contact as they fill millions of ships big and small with plastic bottles of drink?

Doorstep milk delivery will cover milk and fruit juices, if you're prepared to pay a bit extra. Until bottle deposit schemes are revived, the supermarket situation won't improve much.

I agree about Sainsbury's. I normally buy the loose fruit and veg where it's available and don't put it in plastic bags. Quite often the checkout people will then ask me if I want them to put it in a plastic bag for me… errrr, NO!
And now that they've introduced Smart Shopping all the loose fruit and veg has to be put in plastic bags so it can be barcoded.
I despair!

Not specifically Sainsbury’s, but I’ve noticed that John West “no drain” tuna is now sold in plastic tubs rather than traditional metal cans. With all the publicity around reducing plastic use, what on earth were they thinking when deciding to introduce yet more unnecessary plastic into the world ? It beggars belief.

Shouldn't it be the food manufacturers such as Coca-Cola and Nestlé that you need to contact as they fill millions of ships big and small with plastic bottles of drink?

Retailers have a lot of clout so they should be putting pressure on them. I already boycott Nestle, not that they will miss my custom as it's been years.

I think it's fine to be annoyed that everything is sold in plastic containers, but I also think it's a ridiculous that now every company is expected to explain every tiny decision they make to any customer who asks. Their job is to sell food, not to be an environmental consumer service department. I'm more interested in what they actually do than their responding to every question with emails full of lip service.

Is recyclable plastic any different to recyclable tins though?

I was actually cross in sainsbury's today that their pick and mix bakery has plastic bags, surely in this day and age they should be paper?

Yeah I've noticed that too re tuna. We have recycling boxes picked up at roadside, all cans, plastic, juice cartons are collected. I used to throw in the tuna cans, guess I'll do same with these plastic tubs. They are really high quality; I might re-use instead.

I'm more interested in what they actually do than their responding to every question with emails full of lip service.

Based on the evidence in the stores they are doing nothing about plastic bottles and their website has nothing on there to show that they are tackling plastic bottle use either.

They absolutely do have a responsibility to the community and the environment, viz:

Since we set up shop in 1869, we’ve always had a strong sense of social, environmental and economic responsibility and an understanding that our success depends on society’s success.

We care about our planet and the effect that both we, and our global suppliers, have on the environment. So we’re reducing our emissions, our water use and our waste.

"And now that they've introduced Smart Shopping all the loose fruit and veg has to be put in plastic bags so it can be barcoded. "

I just put the loose fruit and veg on the scales (sorted into species, of course), stick the barcode label on one item of each type and scan that the Smart Shop/self-scan/traditional check-out.

Waitrose has had this system for years but I find it's fine wherever I've been.

I don't think you can be annoyed that they haven't replied within a couple of days.

I agree they could go back to glass bottles and have recycling schemes for bottles but glass is likely to make the products more expensive.

If you use the self serve you don't have to put the fruit and veg in plastic bags. You just put them on the scales as they are and print the barcode. Stick it on the product or on the side.

For fruit and veg in some cases it is covered in specific plastic film to increase the shelf life (eg cucumbers) and without that covering there would either be a lot more food waste or we would not get the same variety in the shops.

Sainsbury's are the worst of the supermarkets for this

I contacted them ages ago about the sandwich meal deal - doesn't include a can of coke, only the plastic bottle

They replied telling me they would look into it 🙄

I bring my own reusable bag for bakery items but come on Sainsbury's, how hard is it to replace bakery with paper bags