WI keeps packaging waste top priority

Jean Sheppard, from the WI public affairs committee, said the organisation would look at food waste in the future, but for the time being would continue to focus on packaging.

Sheppard, who was praised for entering the “dragon’s den” and talking to the packaging industry in the Total Innovation seminar theatre, said it had been not easy for the WI to make retailers pay attention to its concerns on packaging.

Meetings with major retailers had only come about after the WI took drastic action and held its packaging day of action last June, she said.

Before then, it had received “almost no response” to letters requesting meetings to discuss supermarkets’ food packaging, concerns about carrier bags given away free at check-out, and the food miles associated with fresh products.

At the 2005 WI annual general meeting, said Sheppard, members had voted overwhelmingly that reducing waste should be a key campaign for the WI in the future.

Sheppard said the WI was considering calls from members for another packaging day of action this year, even though it had been rumoured that it only plans local events.