Seven ways you can do your bit.
Be choosy. Refuse to buy over-packaged produce. When buying fruit and veg in supermarkets, choose loose when possible (and it will probably be cheaper, too). Or, at least look for compostable packaging, and then make sure you compost it. If you can't see the loose equivalent, let the store manager know you'd like to be able to find it.
Stay local
Shop at local greengrocers, farm shops and farmers' markets. Loose produce can go straight in your bag, or into recyclable paper bags.
Order in
Use a local veg box scheme as they often use less packaging than other retailers. Try this postcode search.
Bring your own bags
Buy more Bags for Life, or re-use old plastic bags. It's so easy to transfer loose produce at the checkout straight into the bag. Keep one aside for fresh veg like potatoes, so it won't matter if it gets grubby.
Get confident and complain
Complain to your local Trading Standards department, who will pass your complaint to trading standards officers in your area. They can prosecute under existing legislation, if they can prove that the packaging used is more than the 'minimum amount to maintain necessary levels of safety, hygiene and acceptance' or if it's not possible to re-use or recycle it.
Ask your supermarket for bins
Already a common practice in Germany - write to your local supermarket to ask it to provide bins at the checkout in which you can leave unwanted food packaging. This shifts the responsibility of dealing with excess packaging from consumers to retailers.
...be brave
If you've got the nerve, remove packaging at the checkout and leave it there.
Read more about recycling and ethical consumption
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