Packaging Question - 21st May, 2007

Sian James MP has raised concerns about the packaging fresh fruit and vegetables and the waste caused.

Sian James MP said:

"I recently received an email from a local resident in Swansea East, who has recently returned from a family holiday in America. In the email, they compared shopping in Wal-mart in America with shopping in a local supermarket in Swansea.

"In America it appears that all the fresh produce was displayed with a minimum of packaging, whereas in the UK there appears to be a significant difference in the amount disposed of or able to recycle.

"I therefore raised this matter in the House of Commons and asked the UK Minister speak to the supermarkets with a view to reaching an agreement on some kind of standardisation for packaging. Furthermore, there is a need to encourage supermarkets to make further efforts to make packaging recyclable."

The Minister for Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare, Mr. Ben Bradshaw MP said:

"Legislation requiring an increasing proportion of packaging to be recycled and outlawing excessive packaging helps to reduce packaging. The supermarkets have agreed voluntary measures to reduce packaging. We will announce further measures shortly when we publish our new waste strategy.

"The experience of the constituent in the United States mirrors that of many people who travel to other countries and find that produce is not so heavily packaged as they are used to here. We are in constant touch with the supermarkets on this issue, and we have seen a new will on their part to address the problem.

"One or two of them have not only signed up to the agreement to which I referred, but are going further in reducing and minimising packaging. We shall pay close attention to that issue when we publish our new waste strategy shortly."