Supermarkets 'should disclose packaging figures'

Local councils are calling for supermarkets to make public the amount of packaging waste they produce.

According to the BBC, Morissons, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer were the only outlets that responded to a request by the Local Government Association (LGA) to supply their packaging details.

Several other supermarkets told the LGA to consult waste organisation Wrap, which compiles data on packaging. However, the figures held by Wrap relate to the retail industry on the whole and not to individual outlets.

In a letter to environment secretary Hilary Benn, LGA chairperson Margaret Eaton said supermarkets must be more open with consumers concerning the amount of waste they produce.

"It is vital that consumers can make informed choices about where they shop and which products they buy," she added.

In related news, Supreme Creations, which produces "bags for life" for several major supermarket chains, suggested recently that the UK is lagging behind other European countries when it comes to restricting the use of plastic bags.

Written by Lauren Steadman