Why do crisp packets have to be taken back to large supermarkets?
Why do crisp packets say they have to be taken back to large supermarkets after you have finished with them?
- The extra task can be a hassle for countryside dwellers and those who don’t drive
- READ MORE: Crisp fans are baffled by packets claiming contents are made from 100 per cent British potatoes – while also stating ingredients include non-British potatoes
Tucking into a packet of crisps on a Friday evening is a great feeling, but is the hassle of recycling them worth it?
To the dismay of some environmentally friendly crisp lovers, there is a bit more legwork involved in recycling your average crisp packet, compared to other items in your cupboard.
It isn’t as simple as putting the packet in the recycling bin when you have finished your snack.
You have to trek all the way to a soft plastics drop-off point, that are placed in a select number of supermarkets.
Eagle-eyed crisp fans were left baffled after they spotted the ‘do not recycle at home’ symbol on the back of their McCoys packet, as not everyone was aware of the rule.
Observant crisp lovers were left confused after spotting the symbol. Pictured: A ‘don’t recycle at home sign’ on a packet of McCoys
The green task can be an extra inconvenience for crisp lovers who live in rural areas or don’t have a driving licence. Pictured: a ‘don’t recycle at home sign’ on a packet of Real Crisps
The individual queried on the Reddit thread: ‘Do I have to start taking my empty crisp packets to Tesco?’ – and the answer is yes.
Soft plastics like bread bags, chocolate wrappers as well as crisp packets all have to head back to the supermarket to be recycled.
This is because they can contaminate other recyclables with food and get stuck in recycling plant machinery, making it costlier and more undesirable task.
It seems a travesty that it isn’t an easier process, especially as only 6% of out of 311,000 tonnes of plastic wrapping is recycled
And while dropping a bag off at the supermarket may sound easy for some shoppers, the green task can be just another inconvenience for others.
Some countryside dwellers live 8 or 10 miles away from their nearest drop-off point, while others may not have a drivers licence at all.
One person shared on the Reddit thread : ‘A bit ‘s***t if you don’t drive, having to lug a bag of recycling to the shop.’
Others didn’t feel there was not much point putting in the effort to be green. saying: ‘I feel lie they all end up in a land fill in Indonesia anyway.’
One crisp lover was adamant about not taking part, declaring: ‘Chuck it in the bin until the council becomes competent.’
But not everyone saw the extra recycling task as a hassle.
One person reasoned: ‘Only takes a minute or two to drop them in the supermarket next time you’re there, or just hand it to the delivery driver if you get deliveries’
One crisp lover is determined to keep putting their soft plastics in the bin until their ‘council becomes competent’. Pictured: McCoy’s Cheddar & Onion
One crisp fan argued that it only ‘takes a minute or two’ to get the packets back to the supermarket. Pictured: An array of treats that have soft plastic packaging
Soft plastics account for 15% of all unrecycled plastics, with many ending up in landfill and often being blown around and polluting the environment.
You can return your bags of soft plastics to select supermarket stores, including Tesco, Co-op, Sainsbury’s and more.
You can find out where your nearest supermarket soft plastics recycling point is here.
Other options are available including the Terracycle scheme, which you to send your soft plastics to the company for free
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