Meeting of retailers, packaging suppliers, local councilors called by U.K. minister to discuss packaging waste called 'constructive' by INCPEN director, despite pre-meeting press release suggesting the summit might be confrontational

Lorena Madrigal

LOS ANGELES , December 22, 2011 (Industry Intelligence) –

A U.K. summit to talk about food packaging waste from supermarkets turned out to be positive, despite earlier reports of a pre-meeting press release criticizing the sector, reported Packaging News on Dec. 21.

The meeting was described as “constructive” by Jane Bickerstaffe, director of the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment in Reading, England.

The distribution of a press release by Britain’s Local Government Minister Grant Shapps prior to the meeting’s start was “a shame,” she said, noting that Shapps did not present any of the “ultimatums as suggested in the press release,” Packaging News reported.

In the press release, Shapps asked supermarkets to “commit to culling packaging by this time last year,” and called on consumers to push supermarkets to use less packaging and to recycling as much as possible.

The summit was sponsored by Shapps, along with Recycling Minister Lord Taylor.

The discussion at the meeting was “positive,” said Bickerstaffe, who was in attendance, reported Packaging News.

The two ministers were informed about the joint effects of the supply chain and the recovery network in recovering packaging waste, and both came to the realization that all aspects of packaging must be considered by both departments, she said.

The meeting attendees included representatives from local authorities, packaging suppliers, and retailers such as Dundee, England-based Tesco PLC and London-based Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd., as well as county council members, Packaging News reported.

The primary source of this article is Packaging News, London, England, on Dec. 21, 2011.

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