Jo slams 'triple cost' of excess packaging

6.29.12pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 12th Oct 2006

Much food packaging cannot currently be recycled

Jo Swinson has hit out at the 'triple cost' for consumers of excess food packaging.

Speaking in a Parliamentary debate on climate change today, Jo highlighted the environmental impact of overly-packaged foods and called on Government to address the issue, through regulation if necessary.

Commenting after the debate, Jo said:

"I am sure many shoppers share my frustration at the sheer amount of excess packaging that accompanies far too much of the food sold in supermarkets.

"The fact is that consumers are paying three times for excessively-packaged goods: once at the checkout, once through higher tax on waste sent to landfill and once through the environmental cost of unrecycled waste.

"Packaging should be reduced in quantity and produced from recycled or from more readily recyclable materials. If the Government cannot work with food producers to rid our supermarket shelves of excess food packaging, they should regulate to do so."

Related Links:

Full text of Jo's speech in Parliament

Lib Dem Green Tax Switch