Apparently, all supermarkets (excluding Morrisons) are falling behind on their agreed programme for reducing plastic packaging. The plastic carrier bag tax was the lowest-hanging fruit, and further progress has been slow. Wherever possible, we’ve always resisted the fixed-weight-and-price model, but even in our shops, with our environmentally aware customers, if we put out a crate of loose spinach next to a crate of 250g packs, the packs will outsell the loose by a factor of at least 3:1. That’s the power of convenience, even if it often means buying more than one needs.
So, on this one occasion, as both a food producer and retailer, I’m reluctant to come down too hard on the multiples. Soft plastic might be difficult to recycle, but it has its uses. If it wasn’t for the fact that they’re making customers buy fixed weights that might not correspond with what they actually want, it would probably pay its way, so to speak, by extending shelf life and reducing waste. When it comes to household cleaning, skincare, etc it’s a completely different story. But as a food producer, I would say that, wouldn’t I? Mind you and credit where credit is due; I noticed thst Morrisons have started offering Zoflora concentrate for refills. As with conventional agriculture cleaning up their act back in the 1990’s when it looked as though organic farming was taking over the world, I can’t believe Morrison’s would have gjumped on board if zero waste shops and otehrs (including us) hadn’t shamed them into it. They obnviously don’t make any where near as much profit from refills as single useso you have to search for it on the bottom shelf. But at least it’s there.