Academics have called for ministers to use a carrot-and-stick approach to improving the sustainability of packaging.
A report by Leeds Beckett University’s research centre The Retail Institute said regulation and grants should both be implemented to drive more environmentally friendly outcomes.
The academics worked with key figures from supermarkets, food producers, manufacturers, trade bodies and other organisations to draw up a plan to drive sustainability of packaging.
The study called for the government to “regulate to provide a road map of preferred materials, enabling research and development into sustainable alternatives”.
But it added: “Fiscal incentives and grants can encourage businesses to develop and use sustainable materials.”
The group also cautioned against waiting for ministers to take control of the issue.
“Industry must drive change rather than rely on government action,” it said.
The report urged firms to be open to changing their “organisational culture” and increasing “awareness [of] practicalities, attitudes and other barriers to overcome in working towards circularity”.
