Packaging
With the exception of the fruit and flowers, it’s interesting how most of these images are not brightly coloured. Have you noticed how when you walk into most shops and supermarkets, you are met with a wall of cheap, brightly coloured, oil- and petroleum-based single use plastic? That has become the norm…
Responses to our survey in January 2021 suggested that many of you are concerned about packaging, especially when it arrives unannounced if an online delivery is made.
As many of us began to order a lot of goods online during the pandemic, we learned which retailers to avoid, from a packaging point-of-view. If you are ordering through a website such as Amazon, it can be a lottery: sometimes there is an honest effort to reduce packaging and steer clear of plastic – but you can be caught out on your next delivery…
Generally, but not always, it is the case that sellers of ‘eco’ and ‘green’ products avoid the plastic packaging nightmare. It is worth finding out who these are, and sticking with them. This was a mixed box of items from ‘Peace with the Wild’. All the items were plastic free, as was the packaging.
This packaging of a ‘breadstone’ was from a supplier in the South of England: a gratifying lack of plastic, despite the breakable nature of the contents.
Food and drink
The most effective – and easiest – way to avoid paying for food packaging is to get the Zero Waste habit. Absolutely NO additional packaging! ‘The Simpler Life’ in Keyworth are Plastic Free Champions
When this isn’t an option, and as we know from Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mothering Sunday and Easter, you have to work hard at finding sellers that don’t sell you a bunch of plastic that you have to deal with. Tony’s Chocolonely seem to have got on top of this and there are plenty others such as this one from Choc Box.
Did you know that not all crisps come in plastic bags? Two Farmers crisps come in re-usable tins (if you think you can resist the temptation of a whole big tin-full!) or in bags which they claim are recyclable.
Vegetable boxes are usually low on plastic packaging. Our Plastic Free Champions – Kerry’s Fresh – are excellent at keeping down the packaging (including plastic, of course). Other local suppliers and companies such as Riverford Organic are also really good at this.
Flower Boxes are variable, but there are sellers out there who strive to keep down the plastic.
