Billions Of Pieces Of Plastic Put On Supermarket Shelves Each Year news.sky.com

Major UK supermarkets are putting billions of pieces of plastic packaging on the market every year, a survey suggests.

Analysis of information requested from retailers by Greenpeace and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) reveals 10 supermarkets are putting more than 810,000 tonnes of single-use plastic on the market every year.

Seven retailers are putting in circulation some 59 billion pieces of branded and own brand plastic packaging a year, from yogurt pots to food wrappers and shampoo bottles, the campaign groups said.

Greenpeace UK oceans campaigner Elena Polisano said: "Much of the throwaway plastic packaging filling up our homes comes from supermarket shelves, but high street giants are still not taking full responsibility for it.

"So far most retail bosses have responded to growing concern from customers with a pick-and-mix of different plastic announcements, but have failed to come up with the coherent plastic reduction plans required to solve this problem."

She said: "Supermarkets need to check out on throwaway plastic fast."

Sarah Baulch, EIA senior ocean campaigner, said: "It is abundantly clear that we cannot simply recycle our way out of the plastic pollution crisis, and yet this remains the priority area of focus for many major chains.

"Retailers must pioneer new ways to reduce their plastic footprint across the entire supply chain."

The survey was sent to the UK's 11 largest supermarkets by market share and six grocery chains with more than 1,000 stores under their brand.