The Material Change Index, a study commissioned by DS Smith, has reported that 51% of food and drink products in UK-based supermarkets are encased in unnecessary plastic.  

This equates to an estimated 29.8 billion pieces of avoidable plastic packaging being used annually across the country.  

The study, conducted by Retail Economics, performed a comprehensive analysis of plastic use in 1,500 food and beverage items from the five leading food retailers in six European countries: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the UK. 

It highlighted that the majority of the unnecessary plastic originates from processed foods such as ready meals and meal kits, with 90% of these items deemed overpackaged. 

Processed foods such as bread, rice, and cereals contributed 89% of the excess plastic while dairy products and meat and fish contributed 83% and 80%, respectively. 

In a related survey involving European food manufacturers and retailers, it was revealed that nearly all participants (98%) had pledged to reduce their use of plastic packaging.  

However, with 60% having two years or less to meet their voluntary targets, a quarter admitted they were not on track. 

The cost of raw materials was cited by 40% of respondents as the principal barrier to reducing their plastic use while 39% expressed concern over consumer acceptance of new packaging solutions.  

In addition, 72% of respondents believed that customers would reject higher prices for sustainable packaging and 65% believed convenience would be prioritised over sustainability. 

The Material Change Index also compared packaging materials used across 25 supermarkets in six European countries.  

The UK emerged as the most dependent on plastic packaging, with 70% of items incorporating plastic, compared to Spain which recorded 67% of food and drink items containing plastic packaging. 

DS Smith group chief executive Miles Roberts said: “Good progress has been made but there is more to do. Government can and should demand more of us all - phasing out certain plastics to create a level playing field that encourages innovation, investment, and generates healthy competition to replace plastic.”