Supermarkets in the press again…
A Local Government Association (LGA) survey has received much media attention this week as it shows that supermarkets have only managed to reduce the amount of non-recyclable packaging by 2% from last years figures. The average household basket would only allow for 60% of the packaging to be recycled. The LGA warns that EU targets to reduce waste going to landfill will not be met by the cut off in 2010. This will result in councils facing a £150 fine for every tonne of waste dumped in landfill, the LGA warn this fine maybe passed on to us by raising council tax (lga.gov.uk).
Of 8 supermarket retailers surveyed by the LGA, Lidl and M&S were shown to be the worst offenders; with only 62% of packaging in an average household basket being recyclable. ASDA came out on top, with a still not too impressive, 69%. Marks and Spencer aim to have 100% of its packaging recyclable by 2012. Other supermarkets have set similar targets. Why does there have to be so much packaging in the first place?
Some reporters are encouraging us to dump the excess packaging at the checkout as a sign of our war-on-waste: I can’t see many of us wanting to cause such a fuss at our local Sainsbury’s! It is up to the supermarkets to try and reduce and eliminate excessive packaging. However it is up to us, the consumer, to stop buying it! At the end of the day supermarkets supply to meet our demands, so if we stop demanding it they will have to change tact to keep our custom.
One thing we are not short of in contemporary society is choice; although it may be more convenient to shop at a supermarket where everything is under one roof a local market or green grocer could offer a more sustainable option to your weekly shop.
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