Not sure whether I get this across much in my writing and that, but I’m a bit of a fledgling eco warrior. Not going to bang on about it too much too often, as I know I’ll end up getting a bit on the preachy side, and end up pissing everyone off. But just humour me for this post, eh? A report’s just come out in the UK this morning about food packaging and how useless most of it is when it comes to recycling, which is just unnecessary and unacceptable these days.
Once You Pop…
This report, from the Recycling Association names and shames a few companies, some of which are pretty iconic in terms of packaging. Let’s start with Pringles, with a “metal base, plastic cap, metal tear off lid, and foil-lined cardboard sleeve” is apparently the “number one recycling villain”. But it’s ok, says the company that makes Pringles, it keeps the crisps fresh so it reduces waste. Yeah, nice one dickhead!
Naughty Whisky
Spirits and wine companies don’t escape sanction. Notably whisky companies with their pringles-carton-esque promotional packaging are pretty painful. In fairness, most of the promotional work I’ve seen recently are moving towards 100% cardboard efforts, but there are still one or two holding out with the old style. If you guys could just move on with the times? That’d be great!
Bag-In-Box-A-Go-Go
Luckily there are progressive souls out their in booze land. The idea of refill wine bottles and goon bags are not a new thing if you live in wine producing regions. It’s how you fill up from the wine maker down the road. But in the UK? Companies like When In Rome, who bring in Italian varietals in bag-in-the-box containers, and then give you a refillable wine bottle with your first purchase are to be commended. From a transport and recycling point of view, bag-in-the-box is great, but is going against the reputation of years of utter shit on the supermarket shelves. Their range of very well made wines and great ethos, will hopefully turn a few opinions.
Vote With Your Wallets
In an industry now obsessed with sustainability, organics, biodynamics, and all kinds of other well meaning projects, it’s completely daft that packaging still seems to be lagging so far behind. But it starts with us as the punters, if we want it, it’ll happen. Let’s vote with our wallets!
Cheers
