Consumer-level packaging reuse is identified by the EPA as an option. Credit: Derick P. Hudson via Shutterstock.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the government of Ireland, has analysed the use of single-use packaging in sales of fruit and vegetable products to identify options for reduction.

According to the study, non-essential primary packaging may be eliminated entirely in favour of loose produce in some instances. This approach also allows consumers to purchase the exact amount needed, potentially reducing household food waste.

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But not all fruit and vegetables are suited to loose sale due to high perishability or fragility.

Industry stakeholders have also highlighted that there may be little to no economic incentive for retailers to switch from pre-packaged to loose produce, due to the potential commercial impact of consumers purchasing less or switching to retailers that offer pre-packaged produce.

Consumer-level re-use is identified by the EPA as an option. Consumers would use re-usable packaging to gather loose produce at the point of sale in an approach complementary to loose produce. This is already being adopted by several retailers in Ireland.

Potential challenges of this include ensuring sufficient levels of re-use and overcoming the additional time and effort required on the part of the consumer.

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What does the EPA recommend for fruit and vegetable packaging?

Based on its findings, the EPA recommends the following options:

  1. Promote the sale of loose produce by addressing known barriers and further developing the evidence base for its adoption (including through pilots and trials, voluntary agreements and education and awareness).
  2. Adopt a system or systems for reusable secondary and tertiary packaging.
  3. Investigate potential alternative labelling technologies suitable for use in the Irish fresh produce supply chain.
  4. Investigate the potential of short food supply chains to optimise single-use packaging reduction for crops suited to commercial production in Ireland.

Ireland’s minister of state with responsibility for communications and circular economy, Ossian Smyth, commented that the report “comes at an important juncture as we prepare for the necessary changes in how we approach packaging that will come with the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.

“The generation of packaging in Ireland has grown substantially within the last decade, so we need to do much better to prevent this waste arising in the first place. Reuse and refill solutions offer great potential in this regard.”