Lib Dems: Govt attempts to reduce waste 'too timid'

The Liberal Democrats have condemned government efforts to prevent retailers from excessively packaging products.

This follows a report from the Local Government Association (LGA) today which finds leading supermarkets – such as Marks & Spencer's and Lidl – are over-packaging products and not using enough recyclable materials.

The report warns consumer efforts to recycle are being hindered by some supermarkets' refusal to cut down on waste.

The Lib Dems today brought a packaging reduction bill before parliament in an effort to tackle excess packaging.

It calls for the establishment of a national body to promote and enforce packaging reduction and for consumers to be given powers to leave packaging in supermarkets for disposal.

It also calls for improvements to packaging regulations to assist the work of Trading Standards officers and for the government to impose binding targets for packaging reduction in place of existing voluntary targets.

Commenting on the bill, Jo Swinson MP, said: "Excessive and wasteful packaging makes absolutely no economic or environmental sense.

"Despite increases in recycling, domestic waste has risen by a fifth since 1997.
"Government attempts to tackle the packaging problem have been much too timid and much too slow."

At their party conference this year, the Lib Dems focused heavily on environmental policy and argued excessive packaging should become a trading standards issue whereby retailers could face prosecution if they continually refuse to reduce waste.