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Packaging Tips
From TipThePlanet
- Look for products with little or no packaging: tools, fresh produce, dry goods.
- Decline plastic bags - We are what we do
- Go to market stalls where they use paper bags - Guardian Environment
- Look for recyclable packaging. Packaging made from multiple materials are not recyclable. Whenever possible, choose packaging made from a single type of material that is accepted for recycling.
- In the supermarket, avoid using those small plastic bags for each item of fruit and veg - why does garlic need a bag? Also decline the offer to bag your already plastic packaged meat/fish. Who cares if it leaks a bit, you're going to eat it. [1]
- More information on tetrapacks
- Buy a shopping trolley (those granny style ones with wheels that are normally tartan coloured) - you can load all your shopping in and so won't need plastic bags. Easier than lugging lots of bags home too!
- Choose a shop where the toothpastes, shampoos, shower gels, washing up liquids, laundry powder, laundry liquids and so on are all in great vats, and you just refill your own containers each time you shop. If that doesn't exist yet in your local supermarket, ask why. It makes products about 20% cheaper.
- Buy your meat at the local butcher’s. Benefits: support local business, no plastic container, no weird diaper that they make your raw chicken wear, and it’s nicer meat!
- Buy yoghurt in large tubs and decant into smaller re-usable pots for lunches etc. Cheaper per 100g, and uses less packaging than many small pots.
- Find the product that creates most waste in your bin and stop buying it. Write to the manutfacturers and tell them why. They'll probably send you a nice letter and a voucher (for the same product!) but hopefully they'll start getting the message about what customers want.
