Dump your rubbish...

...urges minister

Last week Ben Bradshaw (the UK environment minister) advised shoppers to dump excess packaging at the checkout. While one Government minister was advocating direct action, other members of the Government were meeting with WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) to discuss how grocery retailers could lessen their environmental impact. How long ministerial officials and industry insiders spent patting themselves on their collective backs for their natty moniker as opposed to formulating policy is not noted.

Jennie Price, WRAP's Chief Executive, said:
"Consumers are making a significant contribution to tackling the nation's waste by embracing recycling and we are now looking to the retailers to step up and play their part by helping to design out waste before it happens".

Indeed Jennie, but don't be so modest about your members achievements, say it loud: you've received firm commitments to reduce packaging reductions sometime in the future and you're proud.

Morrisons and Somerfield are planning future reductions, while Marks and Spencer, Co-Op, Boots and Tesco have "put a number of measures into place". Meanwhile, your friendly neighbourhood stores Sainsbury's and Asda have packaging reduction targets of 5% by 2010 for Sainbury's and 10% for Asda. Excuse me if I can't contain my excitement at the figures.

A chap from the supermarket was on TV the other day justifying sheaving a cucumber in plastic "It's the only way we can get the label to stick". A simple solution seems to have escaped the young mans head: don't stick a label to it then.

Next time you're down the shops and want to take some Ben Bradshaw sanctioned direct action, don't accept any of the plastic bags at the checkout, but bring a bag like this one and don't copy the wags at the Guardian who dumped their excess packaging at the checkout, carefully sort it into separate containers and present to your friendly store manager like the responsible chaps and chapesses you are.

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