requires new ways of thinking and we are already starting to see some exciting circular innovations. Alternatives to plastic are being found. Ooho is a brand of packaging for beverages and condiments that is edible and biodegradable, made from brown seaweed, a renewable and natural source. The initial trial took place across ten restaurants and was available on the Just Eat food delivery platform, preventing the use of 46,000 single-use plastic sachets. In the 2019 London marathon, the water capsules were used and avoided the use of over 30,000 single-use plastic cups and bottles. Legislating behaviour Relying solely on innovation will not bring about change quick enough. Governments also need to act through legislating change. The EU and Britain have legislated against waste via plastic taxes. It was reported earlier this year that the use of single-use supermarket plastic bags had fallen 98% since retailers in England began charging for them in 2015. The average person now buys three single-use plastic bags a year, down from 140 in 2014 according to government sources.1 The Welsh Government is considering going one step further and banning single-use bags and plastic wet wipes. Is a ban better than a levy? A ban presents its own problems and poses the question of what to do with the plastic already in circulation. The most likely solution is to send it to landfill, something we’re trying to avoid. Ultimately, there are other pressures that will help mitigate change in the form of investors and consumers whose focus on sustainability intensifies. According to a study by GlobeScan,2 between 2019 and 2021, people altered their shopping habits to actively avoid single-use plastic packaging, indicating that consumers are willing to change their behaviour to reduce plastic waste. Statistics like this will surely act as a catalyst for companies to reduce and eventually eliminate plastic waste. It’s a wakeup call for businesses – when consumers vote with their wallets, businesses need to act. A call to action The stars are now aligning to demand change in how we use plastic products for as long as possible before efficiently recycling them at the end of their useful lives. This places undeniable pressure for businesses to rethink their processes. A combination of government legislation, customer and investor pressure, and the climate emergency make it crucial that businesses increase their sustainability efforts. If they are to be successful in this, the sustainability strategy must form an integral part of the wider corporate objectives, and not as a second thought. Business and sustainability objectives must be aligned, evolving as the business does rather than competing. Measuring progress is most important – what you cannot measure, you cannot improve. Ultimately, if we want to tackle climate change and reduce our environmental impact, we must place more value on the goods we produce, buy, and use. Packaging products in a sustainable manner, using circular economy principles, preserves our natural resources, reduces greenhouse gases, and combats climate change. We live in a world of finite materials and it’s time to adopt a circular way of thinking to protect them before it’s too late. It was reported earlier this year that the use of single-use supermarket plastic bags had fallen 98% since retailers in England began charging for them in 2015. Finance Monthly. Business 59 1Defra: July 2022, A summary of data on single-use plastic carrier bags in England 2GlobeScan. The Healthy and Sustainable Living Survey 2019 & 2021
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