With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to generate an estimated 156 tonnes of single-use plastic waste, three-quarters of Brits say food packaging at major events this summer should be plastic-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New research, released as part of London Climate Action Week, has found three-quarters of the public (74%) want major sporting events, such as the World Cup, to use only plastic-free food packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enough single-use plastic waste to stretch the length of more than 13,000 football pitches will be generated during this summer’s tournament, with FIFA’s recent U-turn on plastic water bottles expected to make the problem worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Festivals are part of the same picture. More than 1.3 million single-use food containers are thrown away in a typical UK festival season.[1]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite growing concern about plastic waste, much of it remains hard to avoid. Many single-use food containers that appear to be paper or card are lined with a thin layer of hidden plastic. Half of the public (49%) said they did not realise that most paper and cardboard takeaway food boxes are lined with plastic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This plastic barrier can make food packaging difficult to recycle and more likely to end up in landfill, even when people believe they are disposing of it responsibly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Almost four in five people (79%) say food packaging should clearly state whether it contains plastic, so they can make informed choices, while 80% believe all food packaging, such as those used in takeaways and supermarkets, should be plastic-free where possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research was commissioned by UK materials innovation company Xampla, who make world-first plastic-free materials made from plants, for the food packaging industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alexandra French, CEO of Xampla, said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The public care deeply about the environment and want to play their part to address the global plastic pollution crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUntil now, consumers have had no choice other than to eat their half-time food in packaging made with plastic. Solutions like Morro materials are changing that, making it easier than ever for brands and businesses to offer genuinely plastic-free options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“With millions of people attending festivals and sporting events this summer, there is a real opportunity for food businesses, the events industry, and manufacturers to demonstrate that scalable, plastic-free alternatives already exist.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The findings come as leaders from business, government and advocacy organisations gather for London Climate Action Week to discuss innovative solutions to the world\u2019s climate challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With sustained public concern around the scale of plastic pollution, the foodservice industry is accelerating its adoption of natural alternatives at scale. This spring, Just Eat Takeaway.com launched plastic-free takeaway boxes using Xampla’s Morro Coating across 10 European markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Made from natural polymers without any chemical modification, Morro Coating is the only food packaging coating to be verified as plastic-free and SUPD-exempt by the National Physical Laboratory, the UK’s national measurement institute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a summer of international sport and festivals gets under way, the shift to plastic-free packaging has never been simpler for businesses and consumers alike.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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