The industry’s trade association, the Retail Council of Canada, said the new policy “unfortunately” targets large grocers exclusively.
“Which is impractical, as Canadian retailers lack direct control and influence over the global supply chain,” said Michelle Wasylyshen, the council’s national spokesperson.
I agree it’s not the supermarkets’ fault but it’s an industry problem. Why is everything wrapped in plastic? Even bananas and cucumbers and things that don’t need plastic?
One thing we could do is have refillable containers and just reuse them! Why are bulk aisles just a thing for nuts and grains? Why can’t we come and fill up milk or shampoo or other things in our refillables?
Anyway, the bigger story is that there are too many humans. We don’t have a plastics problem, we have a human overpopulation problem.
Even bananas and cucumbers and things that don’t need plastic?
Cucumbers, like many other foods, are wrapped in plastic because they last longer that way. Less spoilage comes with many obvious benefits, like not needing to produce/transport as many, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Of course, nothing in life comes free of tradeoffs. Pick your poison.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a plastic wrapped banana in the store, but it is documented that wrapping bananas in plastic also slows their rate of decay, so no doubt the calculus leans towards plastic in some situations as well.
