Dump Packaging At The Checkout?

[Lonan3]

This isn't really a 'Local' thread - but it applies to the island as much as to anywhere else.

 

LINK

 

Fed up with green beans on black plastic trays? Tired of cucumbers in tight-fitting plastic jackets? Have you had enough of bananas in bags? Then, according to a government minister, you should remove the offending packaging - and dump it at the checkout.

Shoppers were urged yesterday to take direct action to force supermarkets to cut the excessive and wasteful packaging that goes direct from the shop shelf to the household bin. The environment minister Ben Bradshaw advised food shoppers to leave excessive wrapping at the tills and to report the stores to trading standards in an attempt to cut the amount of unnecessary plastic sent to landfill sites.

 

A spokesman for Tesco said: "We would prefer it if our customers use our recycling facilities, but if customers want to leave their packaging with us we will deal with it appropriately."

 

So, is anyone up for this? And, if so, would they like to tell us what the reaction is likely to be from the checkout operators at local stores?

[Albert Tatlock]

Tried that. Er - does anyone know the best way to separate coffee, lentils, Flora and 'hundreds and thousands'?

[thebees]

I stopped buying stuff with loads of packaging a few years ago, McCains microchips have to be the worst offender each chip is in cardboard, then they have an outer box and then further plastic wrapper. BTW I never bought Microchips, the evil teenager brought them home from somewhere with her It's a step in the right direction though, I have often wondered about the govenment taxing these companies on their packaging (a disposal fee type thing), or giving somekind of incentive to companies who reduce their packaging. I love the little cornershops where you get your goods in a Tescos bag, recycling at its best.

[Albert Tatlock]

It's a step in the right direction though, I have often wondered about the govenment taxing these companies on their packaging (a disposal fee type thing), or giving somekind of incentive to companies who reduce their packaging.

Councils in the UK are already 'tagging' wheelie bins in a move to start charging people for the amount of rubbish they throw away - so it is Joe Public that will end up with two bills for this packaging - a bill to produce it and a bill to dispose of it. There is no reason why food cannot be packaged in biodegradable materials these days - and 'tins' etc. easily removed.

 

Tackling the waste at source is the best idea - rather than an army of 'shit sorters' at homes. I may give this a serious go at Tescos.

[sarahc]

I've been doing this for years, and if I buy loose fruit and veg I don't put it in a bag. I'm not too evil though, I only dump packaging I think is excessive, not every little thing. For example the cucumber wrapper can be used to keep the cut end fresh...

 

Also do it when buying stuff other than food, although you have to be careful in case you want to return it, you won't be able to without all the packaging.

[Frances]

though we all have to pay for rubbish disposal, direct charging of the polluter risks dumping - much cheaper to dump the extra black bag in the countryside than to pay the commissioners. IMO the best way is to tax the supplier of the pollution - eg all take away food shops based on turnover, supermarkets based on plastic bags (as in Ireland) + possibly extended to other packaging such as non-returnable plastic bottles.

[Amadeus]

So, is anyone up for this? And, if so, would they like to tell us what the reaction is likely to be from the checkout operators at local stores?

Nah - better to introduce legislation that forbids unnecessary packing in the first place, like in....Germany! No carton around your toothpaste, no 3 cubic meters of plastic for your tiny chocolate christmas present - all marketing bo***** anyway... And I want to see a bag tax and linen and paper bags - not rubbish like "We'll give you one clubcard point worth £ 0.00000001 for every bag you re-use" - that's no more than lipservice...

 

Well, ok - until then, I'll try it when I go shopping next - do you want pictures or video?

[jim]

Tried that. Er - does anyone know the best way to separate coffee, lentils, Flora and 'hundreds and thousands'?

 

assuming its instant coffee poor on hot water, stir and strain that should sort out the lentils. Next transfer to the fridge alow to cool and then skim the flora of the top re warm whats left add milk and drink a nice strong sweet cuppa.

[rallybug]

So, is anyone up for this? And, if so, would they like to tell us what the reaction is likely to be from the checkout operators at local stores?

Nah - better to introduce legislation that forbids unnecessary packing in the first place, like in....Germany! No carton around your toothpaste, no 3 cubic meters of plastic for your tiny chocolate christmas present - all marketing bo***** anyway... And I want to see a bag tax and linen and paper bags - not rubbish like "We'll give you one clubcard point worth £ 0.00000001 for every bag you re-use" - that's no more than lipservice...

 

Well, ok - until then, I'll try it when I go shopping next - do you want pictures or video?

 

Safeway always used to do the brown paper bags as well as plastic carriers - much more sense

[Smeagle]

easter eggs are the worst offender.. fiol, plastic, box, carrier bag for it to go in, why cant they just foil and barcode them like a creme egg?

 

its ridiculous