Supermarkets urged to act now to change infrastructure and systems as new research shows online shopping hides plastic waste.
Supermarkets urged to act now to change infrastructure and systems as new research shows online shopping hides plastic waste.
Online supermarket shopping is fuelling Britain’s plastic waste crisis because packaging is less visible to consumers, according to new research from the Revolution Plastics Institute at the University of Portsmouth.
The study found that nearly half of UK households underestimate how much plastic they throw away each week, a phenomenon researchers call “plastic blindness”. Those who relied most heavily on online grocery deliveries were especially likely to be shocked by the volume of waste they consumed.
“We believe plastic blindness is a coping strategy,” explains lead author Dr Kate Whitman of the Revolution Plastics Institute. “Consumers have little power to go completely plastic-free, so ignoring the waste we generate can feel necessary for peace of mind. But when that waste becomes impossible to overlook, concern rises and people become more willing to engage in reuse and refill systems. Online retailers could help by making packaging impacts visible at the point of purchase - and by offering clear reuse or refill alternatives to single-use packaging.”
Read More: University of Portsmouth
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