Plastic films: UK consumers want to recycle but are confused by recycling symbols, survey finds

05 Aug 2019 --- An overwhelming majority (93%) of UK consumers would like to be able to recycle plastic films more easily, a bpi protec survey has found, but they need much more help in understanding where films can be recycled. Only 37 percent of the survey reported that they are clear what recycling symbols mean, with 17 percent always checking packaging for recycling symbols, whereas 53 percent were confused by them.

Of the more than 1,000 consumers who took part in the research, only 50 percent said they were aware that plastic films can be recycled. The survey also suggests that the type of packaging used by brands may impact on a consumer’s purchasing decision with over half of respondents saying that they would choose to buy a product whose packaging was recyclable or contained recycled content over one that didn’t.

Just over 45 percent said they believed plastic films can be recycled within their curbside collection and 47 percent at their council recycling center, whereas only one in 10 local authorities actually recycle plastic film and only 18 percent recycle carrier bags.

The bpi protect survey also identified that many consumers are confused about which plastic films can and cannot be recycled and this extends to their understanding of the recycling symbols printed on plastic packaging

“As a manufacturer of plain and printed flexible packaging, providing innovative and environmentally sustainable packaging for global brand owners in the food, drink and specialist sectors, we wanted to find out more about consumers’ understanding of the recyclability of plastic films,” says Gareth Lloyd, Marketing Manager at bpi protec.

“Our research has shown that there is still plenty to do. Consumers want to recycle plastic film packaging more easily and will make purchasing decisions based on the recycled content and sustainability of the pack. Improvements are therefore needed to help ensure this, in particular, better education and delivering an improved infrastructure for filmic recycling,” Lloyd explains.

RPC bpi protec is a manufacturer of flexible packaging in film, with seven sites across the UK and Romania.

In July, Berry Global Group completed the acquisition of the RPC Group for a purchase price of approximately US$6.5 billion. The combination of Berry and RPC is expected to produce a balanced franchise across geographies, markets and substrates that will help to create a leading global supplier of valued-added protective solutions and one of the world’s largest plastic packaging companies.