Pressure on supermarkets to reduce waste
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has fought back against Women's Institute (WI) claims that supermarket food packaging is wasteful.

The retail pressure group said that criticisms from the WI that much of the packaging found on food products is unnecessary were 'misguided' and based on 'misinformation'.

Packaging is used for predominantly for safety, hygiene and quality assurance, according to the BRC. It also pointed out that shop goods account for less then one per cent of the UK's waste.

The WI said it wanted the big supermarkets to charge for carrier bags and phase out shrink-wrapping fruit and vegetables and placing them on trays. It also wants stores to source fresh produce locally where possible.

BRC director-general Kevin Hawkins said: 'We do not apologise for packaging. It does not add to waste, it reduces it. Why would any customer accept a new television or eggs that were supplied unwrapped? It keeps us safe and healthy and makes modern lifestyles possible.'

The WI has urged consumers to protest against unnecessary packaging by returning excess wrapping to supermarkets.

Hawkins said: 'Anyone returning so-called unnecessary packaging to supermarkets should consider whether they would really have bought the goods without it.'