It can be impossible to avoid single-use plastic containers when it comes to buying groceries. But a particular plastic case left Redditors baffled and seriously concerned about the store's impact on the environment.
A Reddit post showed a single avocado packed in a plastic container in an unidentified store, large enough to fit at least four more.
The post quickly drew the attention of people, with many confused about the logic behind such packaging.
"We need to start writing laws preventing companies from using wasteful packaging in this way," a Reddit user commented, sparking a conversation on regulations in different countries for the use of single-use plastic packaging.
A study by the U.K.-based advocacy group Wrap found that single-use plastic packaging does not do anything to prevent food from spoiling and is responsible for driving up waste.
Another Redditor pointed out that individual packaging doubles the price of our produce and provides an opportunity for stores to turn bulk display produce like avocados and potatoes into highly-overpriced single-packaged items.
Over the years, single-use food packaging has become a global concern because of the waste it generates and its environmental toll.
A report by the non-profit organization GRACE Communications Foundation estimated that 40% of the demand for plastic is generated by single-use plastic products, such as the plastic-wrapped avocado in the Reddit post. These products do not have any pathway for reuse and are rarely recycled.
A Reddit user said stores should have a system where customers can return their packaging and hold them responsible for providing sustainable packing. On the other hand, some users pointed out the inefficiency of the packaging with wit and sarcasm.
"I really don't understand why so much packaging is added. Is it to stop thieves? Or is it supposed to protect the fruit? What is the purpose?" a user said.
"If plants developed some kind of protective skin for their fruit, we wouldn't have to resort to plastic," another tongue-in-cheek Redditor wrote.
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