Firms face crackdown on too much packaging

2:12pm Friday 21st March 2008

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Trading standards officers are investigating firms which use excessive packaging to promote their products, it has emerged.

Brighton and Hove City Council is ready to use powers to fine companies as much as £5,000 if they are found to be wasteful but said it would only prosecute in extreme cases.

The move comes as part of the council's war on waste, which has also involved a crackdown on plastic bags and mass balloon releases.

Councillor Paul Steedman, Green spokesman on sustainability, has called on the council to take tougher action under existing packaging regulations.

He said: "Far too many high street products have too much packaging, and Easter eggs are a prime example.

"A recent MORI poll tells us 92 per cent of shoppers want to see excess packaging slashed and, under EU rules, companies must use the minimum amount of packaging necessary to protect the product.

"We should be taking tough action against those that fill our bins with unnecessary rubbish."

Members of the council's sustainability commission have agreed to a Green proposal to run a campaign asking the public to nominate examples of the most over-packaged products.

The move will become part of the council's new waste strategy, due to be agreed later this year.

Councillor Denise Cobb, chairman of the sustainability commission, said: "We support the move to reduce excessive packaging and our trading standards team has been investigating products such as food and computer peripherals, which often come with lots of packaging.

"Councils have some powers to take action on excessive packaging but they are only used in the most extreme cases and are not always the most effective way of getting results.

"The regulations also take into account the need for products to compete in a consumer market and this is something companies can use in their defence.

"Regulations alone are not enough.

We have to encourage people to choose products with the least packaging.

"Some people remove the excess packaging at the counter before leaving the shop, which is another good way of making the point.

"Taking action like this will help educate the industry that less packaging is better for the environment."

Coun Steedman started the campaign to find the most wasteful product with an Easter egg containing just 430g of chocolate in masses of plastic and cardboard.

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