Image: Joey Huang via Unsplash
The UK is on track to use nearly 7 billion plastic bags for deliveries by 2030, according to new research, highlighting a growing divide between sustainability efforts in online retail and those on the high street, reported Circular.
The UK has emerged as the leading consumer of plastic delivery bags in e-commerce among major European economies.
Since the introduction of a 5-pence charge in 2015, physical retailers in the UK have slashed plastic bag usage by an impressive 98%.
Despite progress in reducing plastic use on the high street, the number of plastic bags used for UK deliveries is projected to surge by 40% by 2030, the research warns. Annual usage is expected to reach 1.3 billion bags by then, contributing to a staggering total of 6.9 billion bags over the next five years, the analysis reveals.
To prevent the reversal of gains from the plastic bag levy, DS Smith, a British packaging business, is urging lawmakers to update regulations to reflect the rapid rise of e-commerce – and calling on retailers to accelerate the shift away from plastic packaging.
The analysis projects that, by 2030, more than 1 billion plastic bags used for UK deliveries will be discarded each year – either incinerated or dumped in landfills.
As online shopping continues to surge, e-commerce retailers are falling behind their high-street counterparts in phasing out plastic bags.
The research shows strong public support for change: 67% of consumers believe plastic bags should be eliminated when alternatives exist, and 60% say they would rather receive their orders packaged in cardboard or paper.
Over half of UK shoppers admit feeling guilty about the excessive plastic in their deliveries and believe it’s up to retailers to lead the change.