Stick a tote bag or reusable bag in your handbag or car so that everytime you pop to the shop, you have one with you. This saves you 10p and stops you collecting "bags for life" like they are going out of style. You can also take any broken bags for life back to the shop and they will swap them for a new one. Plus you don't have to limit yourself to just bringing a bag, you can also bring in your own containers or produce bags. But remember you don't need fancy instagramable reusable items, your tomato stained tuppa ware will do.
You may think "oh it's in plastic and it has the recycling logo on it, that will be fine". And while 45% of plastic packaging is recycled in the UK , there are still loads of products which come in difficult to recycle packaging. On the back of plastic packaging, there is a number in three looped arrows which is a 'plastic resin code' This shows how easy it is to recycle this packaing in UK recycling centres. The lower the number the better. A good alternative is to buy products in glass or tins, as these are widely and easily recycled across the country. Obviously package free is the ideal but in large supermarkets, it's not always an option.
Writing a shopping list (and actually remembering to bring it to the shops) means you’re more likely to buy the things you need, and fewer things you don’t. Check what you have in the fridge and the cupboard, then plan meals that incorporate things that might otherwise go to waste. Freeze your leftovers – you’ll avoid food waste, and save time, too. Good for your wallet and the planet!
Coded by Jennifer Glancey