It is well to be noted that pre-packed fruit and vegetables could go on to become a thing of the past in the UK, with the government now taking into account new regulations.
The proposed laws that revolve around food waste can go on to see plastic wrapping dropped in favor of the loose produce throughout the UK supermarkets.
All set to be executed in 2024, the laws would go on to affect all prominent UK supermarkets as well as would go on to see stores sell loose fruit along with vegetables in the endeavor to slash plastic packaging and at the same time decrease food waste. It would also become compulsory to sell loose produce when it comes to recyclable bags.
The shift that is proposed has been driven by Wrap, which happens to be a climate action NGO that goes on to suggest that 30% of fruit and vegetables should be sold loose by 2025 and that this particular number should rise to 50% by 2030. But the charity has gone on to say that some produce, such as soft fruit, may still be packaged in plastic so as to maintain quality.
The Director of Behavior Change and Business Programs at Wrap, Catherine David, went on to say in November 2023 that they know that buying loose fruit and vegetables enables people to waste less at home, and hence they are working with retailers so as to sell more loose, fresh produce that goes on to eradicate single-use plastics too.
She added that there is a need to reshape the food system and, at the same time, treat food like the precious resource it is. Slowing down does not happen to be an option given the damage that is caused by food waste and its direct contribution when it comes to climate change.
When one looks at the issue of food waste more broadly, Wrap goes on to note that almost 10.7 million tonnes of food happen to be wasted across sectors, which is worth to be £22bn per year and comprises 18 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
Out of this waste, uncut fruit as well as vegetable packaging account for almost 70,000 tonnes of hard-to-recycle plastic in a year.
It is well to be noted that the issue of plastic waste and recycling has gone on to become more significant for packaging companies in recent years. Analytics from GlobalData demonstrate a significant rise in the frequency of major terms around plastic waste management in company filings in the industry since 2016, despite a dip in 2023.
The proposed ban when it comes to plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables has witnessed support from MPs too, with Sir Robert Goodwill going to state that he welcomes any attempts to lessen the plastic packaging of supermarket food and help more people to buy fruit and vegetables loose.
Apparently, it follows France’s inking of decree in August 2023, thereby banning the sale of fruit and vegetables that will be packaged in plastic from June 30, 2026.