Channel 4 sets its sights on 'excessive' packaging

The documentary follows environmental campaigner Mark Constantine, founder of luxury cosmetics chain Lush, on his mission to persuade retailers and consumers to vastly reduce packaging.

Constantine will call for a consumer-led revolution to reject supermarkets in favour of more traditional retailers selling goods loose or with minimal packaging.

He also joins forces with the Women's Institute to compile a list of the five products they feel have the most "excessive" packaging, with a view to filing a complaint with Trading Standards under breaches of the Packaging (Essential Requirements) regulations.

The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (Incpen) has said the programme will highlight why we need packaging by showing how it makes products attractive and how it protects them.

For example, Incpen pointed out that Lush's soap is protected in transit by cardboard boxes sealed with tape.

Packaging is Rubbish will be screened on Friday 13 July at 7.30pm.

Packaging News is urging readers to join the debate on supermarkets' packaging by contributing to the Women's Institute online survey. Click here to participate in the poll.