Just under half of fruit and veg items use plastic wrap in the UK according to the first ever survey of packaging in fresh produce.
The British Growers Association report reveals plastic wraps as the most popular form of packaging at 49 per cent of fresh produce using it. Loose fruit and veg use much less plastic wrap at just 15.5 per cent.
Country of origin also seems to have little influence on the mix of packaging and, in fact, produce from Europe and the rest of the world is more likely to be sold loose than produce grown in this country.
Jack Ward, chief executive of British Growers, said: “Retail packaging is highly topical at the present time and we are all aware that the fresh produce industry and its customers want to provide packaging that is efficient, provides the best offer for the consumer and is sustainable.
“Up until now there was no independent source of information to enable packers and retailers to make decisions. ProduceView is the perfect tool for gathering this type of data as it uses independent data collected weekly from a representative sample of all sector of retailer.”
The survey comes amid rapidly increasing scrutiny of fresh produce packaging with supply chains reacting to a huge public demand for plastic reduction and recyclability.
In April, anti-waste campaigners Wrap launched the UK Plastics Pact, a voluntary agreement signed by Britain’s biggest corporations, including almost all major supermarkets, to have 100 per cent of packaging to be recyclable by 2025.
Ward added that the BGA will run the survey every 6 months, describing it as a new and “unique” tool for the fresh produce industry.
