Supermarkets must do more to reduce plastic, say consumers

Some 69% of people believe supermarkets and retailers are responsible for reducing the amount of plastic used, while 40% say they are “very concerned” about the amount of plastic packaging used in food and drink products.

That number rises to about 50% among people over 55 years old.

Six in 10 people want to see more progress from supermarkets, specifically in reducing the use of plastic packaging, although they admit they have made a good start.

Almost 20% feel supermarkets have not done enough and need to do much more.

One-third of 55- to 64-year-olds do not think supermarkets have done enough and need to do much more to reduce plastic waste.

Half of this age group believes there are not enough plastic alternatives available.

Further findings included:

• Most consumers (65%) do not think there are enough plastic-free options on offer for the products they buy, despite many trying to avoid plastic packaging (86% try to avoid at least occasionally).
• A lack of availability for other forms of packaging was ranked in the top three issues surrounding plastic packaging (46%), behind plastic pollution of the oceans (65%) and plastic land pollution (54%).
• A third of respondents thought plastic alternatives were too expensive, with 42% stating that shopping plastic-free was more costly than not.
• Almost a quarter (23%) have tried a “plastic-free challenge” when shopping.
• Nine out of 10 of those over 55 years old say they try to avoid buying items in plastic. But only 10% of all shoppers try to avoid buying items in plastic packaging all of the time; 76% do so occasionally or often.
• Some 44% of respondents agree that avoiding single-use plastic is easier now than it was five years ago.
• Sixty-eight percent say they would switch to plastic-free options in their weekly shop if they were available.