Half of supermarket food and drink is packaged in unnecessary plastic, according to a new survey.

The analysis of 1,500 supermarket groceries was conducted by Retail Economics, and commissioned by corrugated giant DS Smith.

It ‘revealed the stranglehold’ that plastic packaging has on food and drink shopping.

The Material Change Index analysed packaging materials in 25 of the most popular supermarkets across six European markets: UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland. The findings showed that the UK is the most reliant on plastic packaging, with 70% of all food and drink items on British shelves containing plastic3 compared to Spain (67%), Italy (66%), Germany (66%), Poland (62%) and France (59%).

The index identified that over half (51%) of food and drink items found in UK supermarkets are unnecessarily packaged in plastic that can be safely removed or replaced with alternatives.

The study said unnecessary can be defined as replaceable plastic; plastic packaging that can either be completely removed or significantly reduced by switching to alternative materials.

The Material Change Index research showed most of the plastic in shopping baskets came from processed foods, including ready-meals and meal kits (90%); bread, rice and cereals (89%); dairy products (83%); and meat and fish (80%).

A survey of European food manufacturers and retailers carried out as part of the research found that almost all (98%) respondents have commitments to reduce plastic packaging. Three in five (60%) have two years or less left to reach their voluntary targets, but a quarter (25%) say they are off track to reach them.

Two in five (40%) identified the cost of raw material as the biggest obstacle, closely followed by the fear that consumers would not accept changes (39%).

DS Smith said food manufacturers and retailers worry that shifts in packaging would make them uncompetitive.

Source: PackagingNews