90,000 tonnes of packaging waste - buy fruit and vegetables separately

In Germany, more and more packaging waste accumulates in food. One reason for this is that more and more fresh fruit and vegetables are being sold prepackaged: 63 percent now. This is the result of a study by the Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarktforschung on behalf of the Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU).

Customers do not have the option to actively save packaging in prepackaged goods. In this case you can neither use a service bag or even better dispense with a disposable packaging and bring your own bags. The latter of course would be the very best option and would certainly meet the wishes of many consumers. Probably not those of the logisticians in the discounters and supermarkets.

Image: M.studio - fotolia

Plastic needs for pre-packaging rose by 78 percent between 2000 and 2014 and by as much as 164 percent in the case of vegetables. Incidentally, tomatoes are the most sensitive: they make up the largest share of packaging, accounting for 32 percent, even though their share of household consumption is only about 15 percent. They are therefore very packaging-intensive, because the pack sizes are rather small and material-consuming.

For pre-packaged goods much more effort is required than in the so-called knot bags made of plastic or paper bags (service packaging). This shows the average packaging consumption per kilogram. For example, 500 grams of grapes require on average almost eight times more plastic for a lidded dish than for a plastic knot bag. The NABU therefore demands a larger supply of bulk goods. As a result, a significant proportion of the packaging waste can be saved.

Incidentally, this is quite annoying for customers who want to buy organic vegetables and fruit in the supermarket. This is usually not packaging-free, although many consumers have been complaining about it for a long time. Supposedly it is not logistical to manage beyond doubt. Of course, anyone who wants to save on packaging waste can do so: at greengrocers, many organic shops and direct marketers on site. Britta Klein, aid