89% Of People Call For More Sustainable Packaging

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• 89% Of People Call For More Sustainable Packaging

New research says 89% of people believe packaging should change. The data shows the public want packaging to include recycled material, be more easily recyclable or be removed altogether.

Following the broadcast of Blue Planet II, 35% of Brits say they have a better understanding of packaging recyclability, although the research also reveals that there is still some confusion. Many consumers for example, still believe that hard to recycle or non recyclable items such as coffee cups (27%), black plastic containers (26%), toothpaste tubes (20%) and crisp and sweets wrappers (11%) are commonly recyclable.

Veolia, who commissioned the survey, has released a recycling ‘myth buster’ to help reduce misinformation, offering advice on what actually can and cannot be recycled. This follows Veolia’s recently published Plan for Plastics which demonstrates that consumers expect over 50% of a plastic bottles to be made from recycled content.

Richard Kirkman, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer for Veolia said: “It’s encouraging that public knowledge on recycling is improving overall, yet there is still some way to go. When we start simplifying packaging and provide clearer labelling, this will enable more sustainable choices and ensure more materials will be collected and accepted at recycling centres. This is the essence of a circular economy and something we should all be striving towards.”

UK Plastics Pact

Veolia is a founding member of the UK Plastics Pact and has long invested in sustainable solutions to packaging with ambitious targets to reduce plastic packaging waste. Together with other major industry players, Veolia is working with manufacturers to rethink and redesign the packaging that’s placed on the market, so the UK can move towards a system which keeps the majority of plastic packaging in the circular economy.

Picture: Consumers expect over 50% of a plastic bottles to be made from recycled content.

Article written by Cathryn Ellis

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