Rochdale MEP bids to scrap the cucumber wrap

Date published: 10/09/2007

Rochdale Euro-MP Chris Davies is calling on local supermarkets to follow the example of The Co-op in slashing unnecessary packaging in a bid to reduce Britain's huge waste mountain.
 
From 1 October The Co-op will strip plastic shrinkwraps from cucumbers and instead pack them in cardboard boxes with a breathable liner.

The Co-op made the decision after a 12-week trial in which customers said they thought it was good for the environment.
 
Two years ago Rochdale Euro-MP Chris Davies launched his own 'scrap the wrap' campaign against fruit and vegetables wrapped in plastic coverings.
 
Angry that EU rules were sometimes blamed for cucumbers, apples and even swedes being sold in shrink-wrapped plastic sleeves, Chris Davies insists that the fault lies entirely with British supermarkets.
 
The Liberal Democrat MEP said: "There is no EU requirement for fruit and vegetables to be sold like this, and it doesn't happen to the same extent in other European countries. Our supermarkets are simply obsessed with producing excessive packaging.
 
Challenged by Chris Davies to explain why cucumbers are now wrapped in plastic, major supermarket chains have claimed that they were responding to consumer demand and extending the shelf life of the product.
 
But Mr Davies says the Co-op has led the way in unsheathed produce and is urging other supermarkets to follow suit. 

He said: "Cucumbers were provided by nature with a tough green skin to keep them fresh and protect them from damage. They do not need any help.
 
"It's time the supermarkets stopped making false claims about consumer preferences and asked people directly whether they want so much packaging. Everyone who returns from a supermarket shop to find themselves buried in unwanted packaging will give them a very strong response.
 
"Supermarkets like Marks amp; Spencer and Tesco have announced some very positive environmental initiatives recently. But if they are really to be part of the solution they must demonstrate that they can reduce volumes of waste inflicted upon us."

Latest figures show that 4.6 million tons of packaging waste are increasing local grocery bills and choking landfill sites across the country.

The Co-op sells around 10 million cucumbers every year.