The environmental organization Greenpeace has launched an ambitious advertising campaign inviting consumers to sign a petition against the use of plastics in supermarkets, which has already obtained almost 338,000 signatures so far. In its campaign, Greenpeace points out that up to 12 million tons of plastics enter the oceans each year, drowning ecosystems, causing damage to wildlife, and entering the food chain.
The organization does not hesitate to point out that corporations have "forced us to consume plastic packaging in our purchases for too long, telling us we can solve this problem by recycling and improving waste management." However, Greenpeace emphasizes that more than 90% of the plastic we consume isn't recycled. It asks the chains to eliminate plastic packaging in their fruits and vegetables, to provide sustainable alternatives to buy their food products, and to promote the sale in bulk.
Supermarket actions
In any case, it's worth noting the progress that the main food retail brands have had to reduce the use of plastic in their establishments.
Mercadona has recently eliminated single-use plastic bags from all sections of its physical stores, delivery, and online service, offering compostable bags instead, among other actions. Carrefour offers its customers a pack of reusable cotton mesh bags. In addition, it is introducing compostable and biodegradable bags in the greengrocer section to replace plastic bags.
Eroski has replaced single-use plastic bags with paper bags with the FSC seal and replaced the use of virgin plastic in the containers and packaging trays of its own-brand products with recycled material, among other measures.
Coviran has applied the new regulations to reduce the consumption of plastic bags in supermarkets since January 1.
Consum has also incorporated compostable bags into the retail sections, which will replace single-use plastic bags, and it is studying all of its packagings to make them recyclable, compostable, and reusable before 2030.
At the end of last year, BM Supermercados eliminated single-use plastic bags from all its establishments and replaced them with multi-use bags made out of recycled plastic and other sustainable materials.
Source: foodretail.es