Over 90 per cent of shoppers want supermarkets to introduce a ‘plastic-free aisle’ according to a new poll.
The survey of 2,000 UK adults also found that four in five (81 per cent) of those asked were concerned “about the amount of plastic packaging thrown away in the UK”.
It was run by consumer research agency Populus and commissioned by campaign group A Plastic Planet.
Support for a plastic-free supermarket aisle was highest in the north east of the country, where 96 per cent of respondents backed the move.
Women are also slightly more likely to support the move compared to men, as well as those aged over 65, compared those aged 25-34.
Levels of concern was highest in Wales, where 86 per cent said they are worried about the amount of packaging that is thrown away.
A Plastic Planet co-founder Sian Sutherland said: “It’s becoming increasingly clear that the British oublic wants a fresh alternative to goods laden with plastic packaging. Too much of our plastic waste ends up in oceans and landfill.
“Consumer demand for products that generate less plastic waste is higher than ever. A Plastic Free Aisle would help supermarkets meet the needs of shoppers who are fed up of buying products covered with layer after layer of throwaway plastic.”
Professor Hilary Kennedy of Bangor University’s school of ocean sciences said: “There is a growing body of evidence that plastic waste poses a global challenge, directly affecting marine life and ecosystems.
“A Plastic Free Aisle in supermarkets would help encourage a reduction in the amount of plastic waste being dumped in our environment.”
A spokerson for the British Plastics Federation said avoiding plastic packaging could increase food waste due to lack of protection during transit and in the home.
'Plastics are a reusable resource that needs to be disposed of responsibly and recycled whenever possible -and focusing efforts on improving public understanding, reducing littering and enhancing the UK’s recycling infrastructure would be a better way of achieving a sustainable future,' the spokesperson said.
A Plastic Planet is a grassroots campaign group, which launched in March this year. The campaign aims to highlight the growing plastic crisis that threatens both the environment and human health.
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