With a general election looming in the UK, three quarters of British consumers say that tackling plastic pollution should be a government priority, a new survey by City to Sea has found.
The environmental charity worked alongside Obsurvant to survey more than 2,000 UK respondents about their awareness and attitudes towards plastic pollution.
It found that 83% of UK consumers are ‘concerned’ about plastic waste in their weekly shop, an increase from 75% in May 2021.
Around two-thirds (64%) of the 2,037 respondents said that they are are eager to reduce their use of single-use packaging when shopping for groceries.
Some 81% of those surveyed use reusable shopping bags, while 65% own a reusable water bottle.
At the same time, however, respondents highlighted a lack of available sustainable alternatives as the main barrier to reducing their use of single-use plastics. Over two-thirds agree that brands should enhance efforts to offer reuse and refill options and reduce packaging.
Additionally, 71% stated they would hold brands and retailers in higher regard if they implemented these measures.
‘Legally-binding targets’
“Retailers such as M&S, Aldi and brands like Ecover are leading the reuse and refill mission by undertaking trials which are showing great results,” commented Jane Martin, CEO of City to Sea. “However, businesses must have legislative support to meet consumer demand. This includes governments setting legally binding reusable and refillable packaging targets alongside single-use plastic bans.
“To create a plastic-free future, governments must set out incentives and foster opportunities for businesses to transition from single-use packaging. […] We will continue to work with policymakers, businesses, and consumers to create a reuse revolution.”
City to Sea has been collaborating with industry and retailers to make reuse and refill more accessible, including a partnership with Marks & Spencer and Reposit to implement a returnable packaging alternative for private-label cleaning and laundry products, which is now available in 23 M&S stores nationwide.
‘A positive step’
“It’s a positive step forwards to see consumers demand more reuse options,” added Stuart Chidley, co-founder at Reposit
“As the public continues to move away from single-use packaging, we call on brands and retailers to build on this momentum by committing further to reuse schemes.”
Read more: Four in five consumers ‘don’t prioritise sustainable packaging’, study finds
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