Survey reveals shoppers want to buy more loose fruit and veg

A new survey from WRAP’s Love Food Hate Waste brand has shown that UK adults would prefer to buy 19 out of 21 common fruit and vegetables loose rather than packaged.

Statistics from the report revealed 78% of those surveyed said they would buy their usual fresh produce unpackaged if it were sold that way – the highest given answer compared to other packaging formats, followed by paper bags or sacks (77%), and cardboard trays, boxes or cartons (75%).

Less than half said they would be likely to buy in plastic packaging, trays, boxes or cartons (46%) and the only packaging with a lower preference score was wooden crates (43%).

The biggest reason for choosing loose over packaged products (68%) was that it allows shoppers to buy only the exact amount they need.

And of the 21 fruit and vegetable items measured in the survey, it’s bananas that topped the list (70%) to be sold loose.

It’s older consumers, aged 76 and above (73%), or 55 to 75 (68%) who prefer the option of loose produce, compared to 38% of those aged 16 to 24.

WRAP’s campaigning continues to highlight the overall benefits for consumers financially, and for the planet (in waste and plastic saving) that offering loose fruit and vegetables can bring.

For example, it said, if all of the apples, bananas and potatoes in Britain were sold loose, 60,000 tonnes of food waste could be saved each year.

The organisation has called for a consultation on a packaging ban across the 21 items it identified which could be sold loose, with a recommendation developed in conjunction with the food and drink industry, across the supply chain. Selling these types of produce free of packaging could potentially save 100,000 tonnes of food and 13,000 tonnes of plastic film being wasted in people’s homes every year.

Love Food Hate Waste’s senior campaign manager, Jackie Bailey, said, “In the UK, 60% of all food wastes comes from people’s homes, with fresh fruit and veg making up the largest proportion. Buying loose fruit and veg has the potential to significantly cut the amount of food ending up in the bin, and we have the evidence that it is what consumers want. Now is the time for retailers and shoppers to make that reality. Increasing loose fruit and veg offerings in store will not only reduce plastic waste, but also enable shoppers to buy closer to their needs, slashing food waste, and preventing tens of thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions.”

Circular economy minister, Mary Creagh, added, “Farmers work tirelessly to put food on our nation’s tables, so it is absurd that households are throwing away £1,000 a year in food that could have been eaten. Through our £15 million food surplus fund, food producers, charities and Government are working together to ensure more produce gets to those who need it most.”

At the same time that WRAP highlights a rise in consumer interest in loose produce, new research by Aquapak has shown shoppers don’t feel UK retailers and brands are doing enough to reduce the use of plastic packaging.

Sixty-five per cent of those surveyed felt businesses were falling short when it comes to cutting plastic from the supply chain, with only 18% of those asked believing enough is being done.

The findings show that British shoppers want to see retailers take more positive steps towards reducing the impact of the packaging they use on the environment.

In the survey, 59% wanted to see conventional plastic replaced with an alternative material which can be recycled and doesn’t harm the environment, 57% said more paper-based packaging suitable for kerbside recycling should be used, and 49% said retailers and producers should stop using traditional single-use plastic completely.

Aquapak CEO, Mark Lapping, said, “Our research shows that consumers want to see more from brands and retailers when it comes to cutting the use of plastic packaging. We recognise that businesses have many challenges to deal with when it comes sustainability, whether it is carbon, water or biodiversity but it is important that they don’t just pay lip service to new technologies but opt for real change.”

Over the next year 56% of those asked said they would try to buy more products without single-use plastic packaging such as polyethylene bags and hard-to-recycle crisp packets and chocolate wrappers. They said they’re prepared to take even more extreme steps over the next three years, with 46% saying they will stop buying single-use packaged items and those difficult to recycle altogether.

Businesses facing environmental challenges through the supply chain should take heart, Aquapak says, in the fact that almost one third (32%) of consumers said they would be prepared to pay more for 100% recyclable packaging.