Marks and Spencer has said that less than two-fifths of consumers believe their actions, such as recycling used packaging, will benefit the environment.
M&S, publishing a report today (15 January) on the first 12 months of its Plan A environmental scheme, said its latest research found that 24% of consumers felt the environment was "not my problem".
A further 38% were engaged with green issues, but did not feel they could personally make a difference, M&S said, and the responsibility lay with government, business and other groups.
Only 11% of consumers fell into the "green crusader" category and 27% were willing to play their part if it did "not require significant personal change or sacrifice".
Since launching Plan A in January 2007, M&S has started to use more recycled content in its packaging and is committed to helping government "support the improvement of recycling rates".
It said recycling of its food packaging could rise from 68% to almost 90% if there was a wider range of plastics recycling facilities available, and it plans to extend on-pack recycling logos to its clothing and home packaging in 2008.
M&S also said that charging 5p for single-use plastic carrier bags at 14 stores in Northern Ireland had reduced usage by 66%, compared with an 11% reduction, or 37 million fewer bags, across the business as a whole.
If a scheme in South West England is successful, it is likely to be introduced to all UK stores.
M&S said it had met packaging reduction targets, as outlined in the Courtauld Commitment, including lighter plastic packaging for one range of ready meals that would save 48 tonnes a year.
M&S, publishing a report today (15 January) on the first 12 months of its Plan A environmental scheme, said its latest research found that 24% of consumers felt the environment was "not my problem".
A further 38% were engaged with green issues, but did not feel they could personally make a difference, M&S said, and the responsibility lay with government, business and other groups.
Only 11% of consumers fell into the "green crusader" category and 27% were willing to play their part if it did "not require significant personal change or sacrifice".
Since launching Plan A in January 2007, M&S has started to use more recycled content in its packaging and is committed to helping government "support the improvement of recycling rates".
It said recycling of its food packaging could rise from 68% to almost 90% if there was a wider range of plastics recycling facilities available, and it plans to extend on-pack recycling logos to its clothing and home packaging in 2008.
M&S also said that charging 5p for single-use plastic carrier bags at 14 stores in Northern Ireland had reduced usage by 66%, compared with an 11% reduction, or 37 million fewer bags, across the business as a whole.
If a scheme in South West England is successful, it is likely to be introduced to all UK stores.
M&S said it had met packaging reduction targets, as outlined in the Courtauld Commitment, including lighter plastic packaging for one range of ready meals that would save 48 tonnes a year.
Source: packagingnews
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