Petition re. plastic packaging on supermarket fruit and veg.

Signed. One of my bugbears, and nothing much has changed over the last 40 years, when I first made a stand at a local fruit and veg shop that refused to let me just put my fruit purchases straight into my shopping bag. They couldn’t come up with a sensible reason then for wanting me to put them all into plastic bags and I’m sure they couldn’t now. What a dreadful waste.

The compostable bags provided by some supermarkets are good.

We have the net bags, Mollygo and yes, although they're light, the weight is still a consideration.

Fleurpepper

do weigh the bag next time and report back, please.

Sorry it’s late but I had to wait till I wanted to buy something.
My 4 mushrooms cost me 53p out of the bag and 61p in the bag. Obviously I left the bag. I could have had a 10p reusable carrier for 2p more.

shysal

Many years ago I made some drawstring bags from charity shop voile curtains. I am still using them for all loose produce. I had some funny looks from people at the time, but not now.

I have noticed that a lot of the packaged fruit and veg in Asda is now in the type of bags that can be recycled in large supermarkets. I take these, along with my cat food pouches, to my local Co-op where the bin is well used.

Well done, shysal

Katie59

Either is wrapped or in most cases you have to put loose veg in a plastic bag, you can’t just have 10 potatoes and 20 carrots with mushrooms and lettuce all loose in a shopping trolley

You can buy reusable net bags from most supermarkets.

'I realise these 30p bags are reusable but honestly, who remembers to take them shopping?''

I do, always. Those 30 p bags are very tough. What do you do with them? Landfill?

And yes, it is a political problems. Local authorities and Country Governments can and do make decisions and ask businesses to comply. MacDonald and other fast food outlets have to serve meals in recycled cardboard in many countries, no polystirene allowed. Festivals and other fairs, events, etc, are not allowed to use disposable plates and plastic cutlery and glasses. When they are not allowed to, they find a way and abide, or lose their business.

Fleurpepper Unfortunately yes there is quite a lot. I think it depends on the picker. E.g. bananas usually have the price label stuck directly on to them but there have been times when they’ve been in bags. I’ve also had spring onions in bags now and again. Because of this I try to buy most of my fresh produce outwith my deliveries.
What really gets my dander up is when they put already packaged produce in a red bag (Tesco), e.g. bacon. When I queried this with the driver at the time of my first delivery, he said it was to stop smells and also in case of packets bursting/tearing.
And before anyone says I should be buying bacon from a butcher, I only buy it once in the proverbial blue moon.

ParlorGames

Only yesterday, we were in our local big supermarket. Veg and fruit is in pre-packed bags or loose so the customer can choose either. They used to supply plastic bags for loose items and brown paper bags for loose mushrooms. This same supermarket has removed all the plastic bags made available for loose items and now promotes the sale of mesh bags at 30p each instead BUT it has also removed the brown paper bags for the loose mushrooms. Customers are expected to purchase a 30p bag for the mushrooms too.
I am not a huge fan of mushrooms so we don't buy many - just a few for MrP so having to buy a 30p bag for around 80p worth of mushrooms did alarm us.
I realise these 30p bags are reusable but honestly, who remembers to take them shopping?

I remember! We bought some a while ago from Lakeland and use them every week, then put them back in the shopping bag like grannydarkhair.

Granmarderby10, why shouldn't you take some carrier bags which have been put into the recycling bin? After all, Reuse comes before Recycle in the mantra. One thing about being a mature woman (which your username suggests you may be) is that if anyone challenges you, you just need to give them a Paddington stare and ask what their problem is.

Since the soft plastic recycling bins appeared at our local Tesco, the amount of rubbish in our residual waste bin has diminished by an astonishing amount. I put in any plastic which would adapt its shape to conform to what it contains - read that somewhere, but I can't remember where.

Signed.

Signed. I asked to speak to the fresh produce manager at Sainsburys a while ago when I wanted to buy a celeriac and they were all shrink wrapped in thick plastic. I said you could play football with a celriac.He said some customers don't like to touch produce others may have handled.So I said I would buy my veg at the local farm shop from then on.And as much as possible I do.

grannydarkhair

Thank you to those who have signed.
I actually get most of my shopping delivered fortnightly nowadays, but obviously have to buy fresh produce in between deliveries. I’ve got a few of the mesh bags, and once I’ve unpacked I always put them back in the bag I go shopping with straight away.

When your food is delivered, isn't there lots of packaging and bags???

do weigh the bag next time and report back, please.

Our local supermarket offers one size (big) brown paper bags for all loose fruit or veg. I always put the items loose on the conveyor belt.
Paper bags aren’t free. Their bags weigh and cost. Not much when you’re buying carrots or bananas, but if you’ve had to put 7-8 mushrooms in a big bag, and the bag is weighed at the price of the mushrooms, it all adds up.

Thank you to those who have signed.
I actually get most of my shopping delivered fortnightly nowadays, but obviously have to buy fresh produce in between deliveries. I’ve got a few of the mesh bags, and once I’ve unpacked I always put them back in the bag I go shopping with straight away.

Signed and shared. In many other European countries, fruit and veg are sold in cardboard containers, with just cling-film over the top, if not sold loose. Yes, brown paper bags are best- and people can also choose to buy muslin bags to re-use again and again, with a tiny amount of weight added to the weight.

Was looking at my ear-buds this morning, thin cardboard box and sticks made of recycled cardboard, with a thin plastic lid. Bottles of washing liquid are a disaster and I have gone back to powder or washing 'sheets' that totally disolve without leaving pollutants. All washing soaps, bleach, conditioner, etc, etc, bought in refill pouches. Yes, plastic, but much smaller than new bottle with new top, etc. And nothing goes to landfill either.

I buy fruit & veg from our local farm shop using the brown paper bags provided, or just popping them loose into my shopping bag. Signed.

Signed.
Also, why do supermarkets think we need 6 lemons in a plastic mesh when we only need one! What a huge waste of food .

shysal

Many years ago I made some drawstring bags from charity shop voile curtains. I am still using them for all loose produce. I had some funny looks from people at the time, but not now.

I have noticed that a lot of the packaged fruit and veg in Asda is now in the type of bags that can be recycled in large supermarkets. I take these, along with my cat food pouches, to my local Co-op where the bin is well used.

I did something similar although I do have bought bags as well as I kept forget to take my own.
Perhaps someone picked up on your idea shysal and is making a fortune. It wasn’t me by the way🤣

Signed

Many years ago I made some drawstring bags from charity shop voile curtains. I am still using them for all loose produce. I had some funny looks from people at the time, but not now.

I have noticed that a lot of the packaged fruit and veg in Asda is now in the type of bags that can be recycled in large supermarkets. I take these, along with my cat food pouches, to my local Co-op where the bin is well used.

Signed the petition

I assume that brown bags for loose veg comes with a cost to the retailer?
I often get asked if paper carriers are available instead of plastic where I work (not a supermarket) but a big name.
Primark do paper carrier bags, which are all well and good as long as you don’t get caught in the rain.
I know there are huge bins in Sainsburys’ to recycle carriers and wrappings bags but I am never sure whether it is acceptable to help myself to any instead of buying yet another to add to the massive collection I have at home already.

I have many many of the strong ones and this is because I don’t drive and shop for items in a variety of shops away from home, and take the opportunity to buy bargains from a wider choice such as Wilkos, Home Bargains, Savers, since if I’ve paid the bus fare to get there already, I make the most of it but can’t risk flimsy carriers that snap.
Cucumber enrobed in a sheath of polythene? I think this is for the journey the food has to make.

With so many packaged items, I do not like being told that is what I need to buy eg 6 packaged tomatoes when I only want 3.

Katie59

Either is wrapped or in most cases you have to put loose veg in a plastic bag, you can’t just have 10 potatoes and 20 carrots with mushrooms and lettuce all loose in a shopping trolley

I do! Mostly I use a local greengrocer and this is exactly why. She’s very wise about packaging and has brown paper bags for anything i want to bag up eg mushrooms.
If i nip to Aldi or Tesco I only buy their loose items eg bananas , baking potatoes.
I’ve signed.
Despite making loads of effort to reduce it, I’m still using loads of plastic. I need the support of the supermarket to make much more progress.

It can be done without plastic. Takes a little ingenuity but definitely can be done.
Years ago I was bag packing for a charity at the checkout in Sainsbury's.
On average 10 plastic carrier bags - free back then-- per customer!!

We have come a long way since those bad old days .

Now I volunteer in a community shop which offers paper bags for bread and veg but many don't take them, wet and dry refilleries, returnable glass bottles etc.
Things still using plastic are greetings cards Not all but most.
Meat and meat products and cheeses.

I'll sign the petition.

I avail myself of the paper bags at the bakery counter.