The research showed that 65% of people said retailers and brands were falling short when it comes to cutting harmful plastic, with just 18% saying they are doing enough. The research also highlighted:
- 59% said they wanted to see the conventional plastic used in packaging replaced with an alternative material which can be recycled and doesn’t harm the environment.
- 57% said they should use more paper-based packaging which can go into kerbside recycling collections.
- 49% said that they should stop using traditional single-use plastic completely.
Over the next 12 months, over half of those surveyed (56%) said they will try and buy more products that do not use single-use plastic packaging. Almost one third (32%) of consumers said that they would be prepared to pay more for packaging which is 100% recyclable.
Aquapak has developed a marine-safe and non-toxic polymer technology called Hydropol, which breaks down harmlessly in all existing recycling streams.
Mark Lapping, chief executive of Aquapak, said: “Our research shows that consumers want to see more from brands and retailers when it comes to cutting the use of plastic packaging. We recognise that businesses have many challenges to deal with when it comes sustainability, whether it is carbon, water or biodiversity but it is important that they don’t just pay lip service to new technologies but opt for real change.
“The good news is that there is a commercially proven solution that will make their plastic packaging problems disappear. We have developed Hydropol which can be incorporated into paper to create planet-friendly wrappers for dry foods, snacks and confectionery, or used as film to make garment bags, providing an alternative to current packaging which is hard to recycle and inconvenient for consumers.”