Pandemic ‘knocked back’ progress made in reduction of plastic food packaging, says charity

Covid-19 pandemic has pushed back the progress made in reduction of plastic food packaging, stated reports today (20), citing statements by retailers and recycling charities.

Due to virus and hygiene concerns regarding the spread of Covid-19, customers moved away from unpackaged produce, industry experts said, adding that sales of these items have still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

Recycling charity Wrap as well as grocer Planet Organic have both declared that customer concern over the virus has stifled efforts to reduce packaging in the grocery sector.

The charity claimed that retailers have pointed out a reduction in sales of unpackaged fruits and vegetables due to Covid which still has not reverted back to pre-pandemic levels.

The charity’s strategic engagement manager Helen Bird said that retailers have a particularly important role in enabling customers to recycle or reuse items, stressing they “must continue to use their influence” to help promote further progress in reduction of plastic packaging in food.

Bird also pointed out how the charity is working with waste operators as well to make sure recyclable packaging reaches the right place.

“There has been so much innovation in recyclable materials, which has been incredibly positive, but it is pointless if the waste cannot be collected,” she said.

“We work with waste operators to ensure they are making progress too, but I think supermarkets have also been really positive about creating more collection points for recyclable products they sell.”

“A lot of problems happen at the consumers end, with them throwing something recyclable in the normal bin because it isn’t obvious how or where it can be recycled,” she said.

Planet Organic’s spokesperson resonated with Bird’s claims, acknowledging similar patterns in the consumer behaviour.

11-stores strong Planet Organic claims to be one of the firsts to remove plastic bags and to offer refill services in its stores for ten years. However, when the Covid-19 hit, customers were seen seeking comfort in greater levels of packaging, Plant Organic buying director Al Overton said, adding demand for unpackaged and sustainable options though have been “recovering well”.

“We were going in a really good direction with our unpackaged lines but there was a very significant change in feeling after Covid ” Overton said.

“Covid has essentially knocked back that because people started to worry about the virus, worry about who might have touched that piece of fruit or who could have breathed on those nuts.”

Overton added how the pandemic has been terrible for the momentum gained in reduction in plastic packaging as people started associating confidence in health safety with “something being triple wrapped in plastic with a seal on it”.