Did an "unwrapping" event at our local Tesc0 yesterday afternoon...

[duchesse]

...and got a very interesting set of reactions.

From the store manager: "We've tolerated your protest so far..." (implication being- we won't for too much longer) and genuinely taken aback: "Surely you're not going to leave your rubbish here?"

From the trolley picking up guy, as he removed the 6 trolley loads of waste packaging our ten households removed in just half an hour: "They're just a bunch of hypocrites, leaving their rubbish for us to take away. It's not my fault (grumble grumble grumble... as he drove the waste round the back to put into the general skip)

From a guy in the queue behind me: " You're doing because you just don't give a shit and you want to make a point."

Very eye-opening. We concentrated on three particular checkouts, at the end of which was a stack of their greener living magazine, that actually contained articles about reducing packaging!

My friend wants to do it all again next month, but I think we should modify the format a little so as not to piss off the other people in queue, and try to bring them on board. Any ideas?

well done Duchesse!

I got into a semi-row at my local Asda because I had bought all my fruit and veg loose and not put them in the plastic bags provided. I told the checkout girl I didn't want it all in plastic bags as I had bought plenty of other bags with me. (there was a lot!)
She called her supervisor because ''I was being a bit selfsih. People might have allergies (to for example, a nude potato )which might contaminate the conveyor belt and so it was a health and safety thing. ''

When I pointed out that she didn't wipe the conveyor belt down after leaky meat trays etc had passed down it, and I considered more people were probably at risk from illness from that than from an unwrapped onion, she and the supervisor decided to ''let'' me have it my way...

FMfiend you can buy re-usable mesh fruit and veg bags. I can't remember where I saw them now. I don't because I would never remember to bring them with me, and anyway Waitrose has never had any problems with unwrapped veg on the conveyor belt.

I think unwrapping in the carpark and leaving it in the trolley is genius. It's just as annoying for the supermarket because they have to dispose of the packaging, but you could probably persuade more people to do it regularly because it's non-confrontational.

I haven't read all the thread, so appologies if I'm repeating anything. A few years back there was a major anti-packaging campaign in Germany: lots of folk took unnecessary packaging off things in supermarkets. It resulted in less packaging being used in the first place. Ultimately supermarkets, like all businesses, have to pay for waste collection, which is probably why they make such a fuss about you leaving the packaging. If everyone did it, very soon they will stop using it in the first place. Well done Duchesse - wish I had the nerve to follow your example.

My little local supermarket has started charging for the bags to put loose fruit in as well as for carrier bags - I'm waiting to see how they deal with anyone who simply doesn't use bags for their fruit and veg.

Onya bags for using when weighing fruit and veg.

I truly admire your stand and agree there is too much packaging however - regarding taking packaging off and leaving in the trolley in car park - is this not a little counter productive ? if the packaging left in said trolley in car park (which is what people near me have started doing) then blows out of the trolley it poses a risk to wildlife as well as making everywhere look horrible. Better to go in the recycling bin or even to landfill, surely ? is there not a personal responsibilty to dispose of all litter safely? poor trolley man, it is not his fault we are bombarded with this stuff. You should see the packaging that surrounds this stuff before it ends up on the shelves - it is far far worse and often does not get recycled - vast pallets shrink wrapped in polythene for example.

I read a very interesting article in the FT last weekend. It was saying that although it seems like common sense that we have to reduce plastic packaging, it is actually a whole lot more complicated than that.

For example, if packaging were to be removed from fruit and veg again, that would mean there would have to be much more packaging during transit - in fact an increase in packaging overall. There would also be more food wastage.

Basically, the premise of the article is that to maintain the way of living, shopping and eating that we're all used to then the packaging has to stay. If food is sold loose with the current system that would have a worse environmental outcome.

It was really interesting and made me think a lot. I've always been vociferously against packaging. But the single most important thing we can do is stop using the supermarkets and buy from local producers instead, excluding the food miles in the process. Attacking the packaging issue is avoiding the real problem.

Twinkle - I think that has been the problem in Ireland. They no longer have free plastic bags so now all fruit and veg etc is covered in plastic instead. They call it the plastic tax

Yeah - once again it's politicians going for a quick fix without a proper grasp of the issues.

Yes. In Canada, particularly on the west coast, you can take your own containers for stuff. Fruit and veg are not packaged. Even salad. Everything is recyclable. Glass and plastic containers come with a deposit so when you return them, you get money. I use to take back all the liquor bottles at a restaurant I worked at every week and made at least$80. Pretty good for an hour?s work. We also have recycling bins all over the place.

It?s great you are doing this. If their name is on the packaging then it is them. Putting pressure on them monthly will soon get the message across.

That's what this article was talking about. A seachange in the way we live and shop. But our government isn't willing to oversee that, and our population isn't willing to change their habits. Going for packaging is an easy win, but it mightn't change much in the grand scheme of things.

Brilliant! Yes, if retailers were responsible for waste disposal, then they would put a lot of effort into re-thinking packaging, and coming up with better solutions.

I don't usually use bags for fruit and veg - paper bags for mushies, and things like cherry toms are pre packed. But carrots/peppers/onions etc I just put them in the trolley.

Am moving back to Aus shortly, and they have lots more loose fruit and veg (or at least, did when I left 3 years ago) - eg, beans are not pre packed - small things like that. So I've just bought some of those ONYA Weighing bags to take home - what a great idea

I'm sure I've read about this type of thing too - the idea of forcing companies to factor disposal costs into their products, and to bear the brunt of those costs (or, pass them onto the consumers at the risk of losing their market share). We do need to start placing a monetery value on environmental costs - its the only way the economy can 'understand; environmental costs.

Its not just packaging either - all producers (of fridges, cars, shoes, books) need to be financially responsible for the disposal/recycling of their products.

The attitude to recycling in Canada sounds fantastic. Things seem to be going the opposite way here, though. Until 2 years bars and restaurants could return Britvic bottles; then they stopped taking them back. Before that coke stopped returns on their bottles. Apparently thanks to EU regulations the cost of cleaning them for re-use went through the ceiling, and if the manufacturers take the bottles back, they now have to pay to dispose of them. So they pass that responsibility on to the retailer now.

It was really a shock for me when we first came here in 04 to have to throw everything into the garbage. We were living in Gerrard?s Cross and I actually horded all my recycling because I couldn?t accept there was no where for this stuff. I found a place in behind some buildings in a parking lot. We also have recycle day? you put out your ?blue box? and they come around and pick it up. It comes from your taxes but it makes money as well and gets put back into the program. Another thing lots of cities do in Canada is a day called ?White Elephant Day?. You put out all the stuff (furniture ? books- clothing) and over the weekend, people can pick through it to see if they want anything, then come Monday, you can either have Big Brother (a charity organization) or the city pick up the rest.

Very brave Duchesse. I'm not sure many people would have the guts to do that.

Alas the only thing Tesco gives a shit about is profits so I've simply stopped shopping there.

Incidentally, my weekly refuse is down by at LEAST 50%. Butchers and greengrocers pack things in small bags or paper. No plastic trays or cardboard boxes to dispose of. It also works out cheaper and creates less food waste because you buy exactly the amount you need, not the amount the supermarket kindly packages for you.

I am always appalled at the amount of plastic bags my online shopping from Asda comes in. Last week, 41 items (some of which were just tiny things like garlic bulbs, lemons, etc.) came in 20 plastic bags!!!!

I was told by the delivery man that it is useless to request fewer bags when placing the order as the pickers do not see this information. I was told he could pick the bags up when delivering any future orders and the bags would be recycled but does this really happen? I called Asda to formally complain but the employee I spoke to seemed vague about how the complaint would be logged which was surprising as I imagined EVERYONE would want to complain about this.

Don't see why they can't just put the shopping in the green crates with no bags and I can unload it all in the house. Going all out just now to use my 'bag for life' in store (and encouraging others to do the same) yet this is how the shopping is delivered to my door . . . aaaaahhhhhggggg!!!!!

It's not just the big supermarkets - it's taken me about a year to persuade the folk on the stalls at my local market that no, I don't need their plastic bags, my reusable shopping bag does the job just fine. At first they either looked mildly offended or as if I had come from another planet

Bit of a hint about the local press. Don't know if you've done this
They do like it if you practically write their article for them once you've held the event complete with digi photos (don't make them huge, once jammed up local papers email - oops! still, it got them noticed!)

Fantastic protest.

But there's so many different views and beliefs on so much of this. I'd imagine that the supermarkets get many more complaints if they pack 'efficiently' using few bags, because they are likely to pack badly with breakable stuff at the bottom, and the bags are quite heavy when full. it's the flood of bags coming in that is one of the reasons I don't shop online.

I stopped shopping at supermarkets for quite a long time, then slid back again . having a veg box delivered has improved things a lot again, though that takes funds away from local independents.

Don't forget it was the experience of powerful local independent shops under a rationing system that meant supermarkets were greeted like liberators when they arrived! Abuse of power is bad wherever it appears.

Joanie - if you get Tesco online, they can bring it 'naked' if you ask - ie, no bags, just the crates, and you unload them as they bring them in.

Great tip thanks Astrophe!

Well done you for having the guts to do it!
What a shame your MP didn't respond. Bloody typical, eh?