In 2007 supermarket chain Waitrose started selling milk in plastic pouches rather than cartons, hoping that this would reduce the amount of plastic in landfill. Yet this method has previously been tried – in 1970 and 2001 (this method is popular in Canada).
Yet why can we not go back to glass?
"The more of those trips the bottle makes, the more cost-effective and environmentally friendly it is. If you used it once and recycled it, it would not be as environmentally friendly as plastic pouches. The energy input needed to make one glass bottle and melt it down again would be higher."
‘And doorstep deliveries account for only 10% of the market - even if that's about 3 million customers. Thirty years ago, that number was 85%, and the decline due to changes in lifestyle (people tend to include milk in one big weekly shop, or pop out for it only when they need it)’
Guardian Newspaper , June 26, 2007
My opinion is that glass milk bottles are one of the most eco-friendliest products around – there is virtually no need to replace the glass bottle unless it becomes damaged. One way of moving this proven method on is possibly having petrol-station like pumps of milk in supermarkets, all you need to do is take your bottle along, fill up & pay.
I found the fuel pump statement to be amusing and actualy quite effective but some people might find it unhygienic sharing the same pump with other people. But i believe it could be a Plausible soultion.
ReplyDeleteyeah there could be hygienic issues - but that would depend on the personnal hygiene of the individual shopper.
ReplyDeleteThat is true so would you consider selling both ? Plastic and glass?
ReplyDeletethe eradication of plastic would be beneficial as there would be no need to replace the glass bottle. The pump concept would completely change the way people shop - they would feel more like they are in a market place than supermarket, therefore they would opt for more organic and local produce. if you give the shopper a choice then most wouldn't change, if you tell the shopper that there is only one way of buying something then they have no choice.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I remember this article, I remember thinking it is a very idealistic perspective, ‘wouldn’t it be great if!’, but there are logistic issues. The manufacturing of glass bottles [regardless to the fact they are re-used] is much higher than plastic pouches. It would have to be calculated, the life expectancy/price ratio of the glass bottles against the disposable production cost of the pouches. Maybe the plastic pouches could be produced by a manufacturer who already makes such a product, like the ones used in the medical industry.
ReplyDeleteFrom the retailers stand point, I can imagine they would be worried about health and safety, if the bottles are not properly cleaned by the user, the liability would most likely end up with Waitrose.
Maybe if there would be a uniform glass bottle that could be sanitised & re-filled with various products.
There is also the issue of distribution, glass is not a light product, and with most of the glass production happening outside the UK, transportation of the glass would incur a larger carbon footprint than plastic pouches which can be manufactured in the UK.
Although I’m arguing against myself, I actually like the idea, I think it’s very nostalgic, I grew up with glass milk bottles & doorstep milk deliveries.
Maybe a biodegradable plastic would be the answer!
But wouldnt that start an arguement between the supermarket and the public? Not everyone is the same by using shock tatics people will rebel but if you gradually break them into the choice they are more likly to come round. Also would there be a rise in price by using the more organic produce? It then comes back to keith's comment Should we tell the public it is organic because people automatically assume it will be more expensive.
ReplyDeleteyeah the glass bottle do take more energy to produce, but when you try to recycle the plastic mopre energy it wasted - both plastic and glass can be damaging for the environment if the are used once and thrown.
ReplyDeleteHealth and safety could be solved by the supermarket providing a cleaning process - the glass bottle could belong to the supermarket and all you need to do is take your old bottle back and pick up a new one.
Biodegradable plastics on the other hand still take a longer period to decompose.
yes there may be some arguments, but most iconic designs solutions are radical and drastic - people are very comfortable in their lives and this is one of the problems - shock tactics if anything at least get publicity for an idea. Its not a matter really of organic-ness, it should be more locally produced within the UK.
i understand what you are trying to say by handing in the bottle back. An example of this is working is at T in the park where they hand in a plastic cup and get 10p back.
ReplyDeleteYeah, really interesting topic, I agree with Aimee, some kind of refund on the bottle would really encourage actually taking the bottle back to the store. A few years ago I spent 8 months in Finland, and they have a really neat system where you take your bottle back to the supermarket after you've consumed the contents, feed them onto a conveyor belt, they are electronically scanned, then you are issued with a receipt which when you take to the till you get cash for. I was really impressed with this system.
ReplyDeleteIt’s also really good after a party when you have loads of bottle, then you take them to the supermarket and get cash for your hangover breakfast!
It’s also good to minimise street rubbish, there are homeless people collecting bottles of the street for money.
the cash incentive would really encourage people to bring their bottle back - you used to be able to take you bottle back to certain shops and get cash for them, so this method could work.
ReplyDeleteAn example would be the icecream van take back the Barr glass bottles and get 20p towards ur pic'n'mix.
ReplyDeleteyeah thats what i was thinking of...
ReplyDelete