Would it be worthwhile to have bin near the checkout at the supermarket to throw away the excess...?

Question

...packaging instead of having to take it home and disposing of it there? The packaging may help sell the product but after we have, who cares?

My point is that so many products are over-packaged that it will send a message to the makers that we don't want it.

Answer 1

Good point!

I think there should be recycle bins available near the check out. Especially for cardboard. The likes of cornflakes or other cereals that come in huge bulky cardboard boxes. I even usually remove the cardboard wrapper around a small tub of humus before I put it in the bag because the corners of the card are sharp and often cut the thin plastic shopping bags.

Although I don't always use supermarket bags, I take one with me, a long-lasting one. This we should also encourage. Plastic never degrades, it just breaks up eventually into smaller and smaller particles, that scatter our landscape.

Answer 2

In some places in Europe vendors are required to accept packaging back from the customer kinda like we used to have with returnable bottles. The packaging is then returned to producers for recycling. The problem is that even that consumes a lot of man hours and fuel. The best way to get the message across is to not buy items with excess packaging. Let the vendor know and let the manufacturer know.

Answer 3

particular. this is the undertaking with the better countries, they throw issues away because of the fact they could. I artwork in a food market additionally together as doing an environmental technology degree, and while they throw issues away, it infuriates me. With a supermarkets bakery section (the bread and tarts they make in save) i turn into informed that the government refunds a splash of the money they used to make bakery products in the event that they throw a undeniable quantity away. for sure, very adverse understanding on the two sides. yet now, purchasers and companies call for that supermarkets provide it to the homeless, the adverse or use for animal feed. finally, this is particularly been shown that on bakery products, if no longer opened and uncovered to the air too a lot, they could final for ONE greater day. So there is not any excuse to no longer deliver any nutrition products to stable reasons.

Answer 4

I totally agree with you that there is too mauch packaging of foodstuffs in supermarkets, and that so very much of it is non-degradeable plastic!

There are many companies out there now who do produce food in either recyclible materials or in biodegradable containers ( even bottled water in bottles made from corn-starch that you can compost!) Try persuading your supermarkets to buy in these containers.... for the sake of our planet and their profits!

But I agree with Blondie... the best thing is not not buy the over packaged stuff. And send messages to the supermarkets through their web-sites and CEO's that you will not be buying over-packaged products from them again.

It is actually surprising how much money you can save by shopping locally at your greengrocer (if Tesco's/Sainsbury's et al haven't already killed them all where you live)

Answer 5

Makes no difference where you chuck it. Supermarkets should start fighting back to manufacturers about packaging, but most of them will not because packaging maes products look 'pretty and attractive' therefore will help make it sell.

One thing you could try is to start a petition and send it to your local MP/Downing Street/manufacturers to make them sit up and take notice?

Answer 6

Better still, do not buy pre-packaged fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish then you will not have any excess to throw out and it might give a hint to the supermarkets to stop using all those plastic containers if no one buy the products in them.

Answer 7

Not a good idea - it may have a bad impression on the customers! However, you may place a bin away from the checkout but near the entrance!

Answer 8

The makers are the supermarkets. So the best answer is to stop buying from them.

Answer 9

There are usually trash recepticles near the entrance and exit of the store. Having it near the check out will only increase the duties of the cashier and lower their performace of checking out customers.

Answer 10

I doubt it, at my supermarket there is barely enough room to get the buggy through to unload the groceries, and barely enough room for the person doing the bagging of my groceries to bag the groceries.