Once you stroll via the aisles of the world’s largest grocery shops and supermarkets, you’ll almost all the time encounter a sea of plastic. From snacks to supply, most meals merchandise are wrapped in plastic. And it is smart: plastic packaging is efficient at defending meals from contamination, moisture, and harm throughout transportation and storage. However, after all, there’s a giant drawback with all this packaging—it doesn’t biodegrade.
Based on the Environmental Safety Company, almost half of all of the trash within the US is made up of meals packaging supplies. And within the UK, food and drinks packaging accounts for greater than 80 p.c of all of the plastic packaging thrown away by households. Most of this isn’t recyclable (or isn’t sorted into the recycling bin), and can due to this fact find yourself within the landfill, the place it should keep for hundreds of years, leaching microplastics into the soil and contributing to potent methane emissions.
As shoppers, it’s arduous to keep away from plastic packaging. However some manufacturers are attempting to make it simpler for individuals to make extra environmentally accountable buying choices. In a world-first, British meals producer Upfield, for instance, not too long ago introduced that its vegan Flora Plant butter can be packaged in a plastic-free tub. From April 17, Brits can discover the product in Sainsbury’s supermarkets.
“We all know UK customers need merchandise which have much less local weather impression however are uncertain how to do that simply,” Ian Hepburn, Upfield’s advertising director, mentioned in a press release. “We launched Flora Plant final yr and now we’ve gone one step additional by bringing world-first packaging innovation to UK grocery store cabinets, serving to customers to make easy sustainable swaps.”
7 manufacturers taking plastic out of the meals business
Upfield isn’t alone in making an attempt to rid the cabinets of a lot plastic. Beneath, you could find seven meals manufacturers which might be additionally dedicated to plastic-free packaging.
West~Bourne
1 West~Bourne
From olive to sunflower, loads of cooking oils are packaged in plastic. However California model West~Bourne is among the many manufacturers dedicated to eradicating the fabric from the business. All of its avocado oil merchandise, together with its Natural Additional Virgin Avocado Oil and 100% Pure Avocado Oil, are packaged in glass bottles. Based on the brand new model, up to now, it has saved as a lot plastic waste as 2,527 plastic straws. The model additionally provides merchandise like Pistachio Dukkah chocolate and Togarashi Crunch snack combine in compostable packaging.
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Solar & Swell
2 Solar & Swell
Solar & Swell is not only plastic-free, nevertheless it’s additionally woman-owned, a licensed B Corp, and a member of 1% for the Planet. Its tremendous tasty vegan snack choices embrace Fudge Brownie Actual Meals Bars, Natural Pineapple Rings, and Roasted Nuts & Seeds Path Combine, and all of them (sure, all of them) are packaged in 100-percent compostable packaging. “We’re a pioneer within the meals business relating to shifting away from single-use packaging,” the model notes on its web site. “We’re hopeful to quickly see different manufacturers observe our lead.”
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Kencko
3 Kencko
New York-based Kencko launched again in 2016, and its key mission is to make more healthy consuming simpler and extra sustainable. The model isn’t utterly plastic-free (but), however all of its on the spot smoothies, which FYI, are made with actual fruit and greens, come packaged in plant-based compostable sachets.
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Loving Earth
4 Loving Earth
In the event you love chocolate, however don’t love the plastic wrapper it’s important to throw away after you’ve loved your deal with, then take a look at the Australian model Loving Earth. Regardless of its plastic-like look, all the model’s tasty chocolate bars—which are available flavors like Hazelnut Mylk and Creamy Coconut Mylk, are wrapped in plant-based, compostable packaging.
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Apeel
5 Apeel
Regardless of the actual fact most of it has its personal pure wrapping anyway, usually, fruit and greens are packaged in plastic within the grocery store. However US meals tech firm Apeel is dedicated to altering this. The model has created an edible coating for merchandise like cucumbers, avocados, and different fruit and veggies that assist them to last more on the cabinets and get rid of the necessity for plastic. Based on the model, one truckload of cucumbers with out plastic wrap will save the equal of round 100,000 plastic straws.
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Lickalix
6 Lickalix
Popsicles don’t should be lined in plastic wrap, and British model Lickalix has proved it. Its scrumptious, handmade lollies, that are made with natural, actual fruit, are packaged in 100-percent compostable wrappers. Proper now, they’re stocked on the UK on-line grocery store Ocado.
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Notpla
7 Notpla
Primarily based in London, Notpla—winner of the Prince of Wales’ Earthshot Prize—hit the headlines in 2019 when it offered London Marathon runners with biodegradable seaweed pods stuffed with sports activities drinks. The model remains to be going robust, and in addition to a wide range of compostable takeaway field choices, it additionally makes single-use Notpla pipettes stuffed with olive oil. Notpla doesn’t promote its merchandise on to clients—as a substitute, its merchandise are designed to be used within the meals service sector.
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Charlotte is a author and editor based mostly in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
