Meat consumption and plastic packaging

Posted on by PPiPL team

Alternative forms of packaging

Figure 1. Meat consumption and storage

Vegan products experienced something of a boost in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The upsurge in approval for plant-based ranges reflects a degree of dietary experimentalism for consumers during lockdown as well as their interest in “flexitarianism” for health and nutrition reasons. Despite accelerating interest in vegan alternatives, global meat production and consumption continues to rise. That steady increase in meat consumption has been at the forefront of academic and policy debates due to its significant environmental impact. For those reasons, meat fell under scope for consideration by the PPiPL team this week in Plastic-Free July.

Meat packaging

Before ever even touching upon the impact of the plastic packaging it often comes sold in, meat is a fairly resource intensive commodity. Rearing animals for slaughter requires a significant portion of the world’s land and water and is a major contributor to global greenhouse gases. That backdrop casts a long shadow for the typical beef burger or steak we pick up off the shelf and is extended further by their containers, trays, and plastic wrapping. A large amount of work goes into making sure that burger or steak in the supermarket appears appetising, fresh, and safe, as well as extending its shelf life. Besides the branding and graphical flourishes to their labelling, highly perishable meat products are often made shelf-ready for supermarkets through rigid plastic trays sealed over with film or are vacuum-packed whereby plastics are positioned tightly around the meat to prevent oxidation, spoilage, and discoloration. Being able to see the meat is important for consumers too so this plastic packaging must be transparent. Other packaging materials such as liquid-absorbent pads/sachets can also be found beneath some raw meat cuts to reduce juices from pooling in the tray. By containing what is known as the product’s “purge”, these absorbent pads help to improve the condition and appearance of packaged meat cuts. Functionality aside, all of these important packaging components can come with their own refuse and waste challenges.

The Problem

Although the various components to meat packaging serve crucial roles in protecting the products for transit, extending their shelf-life, merchandising, and hygiene control these ultimately must be disposed of by the consumer after consumption. The issue becomes problematic as consumers can often get confused about what packaging goes in which bin and what must be done before disposed of. Not all packaging components for meat products are recyclable and those that are accepted for recycling should often be washed before being put in the bin. Soiled plastic waste can contaminate other plastic waste risking their acceptance for recyclability.

Recommendations for going plastic-free

One of the recommendations to cut down on packaging is to buy meat cuts straight from a local butcher and to bring your own more sustainable packaging. There are a range of eco-friendly reusable food containers available on the market that are suitable for storing meat and fish. To see how feasible this could be, one of the team members bought her meat from a local butcher shop earlier this week, taking her own plastic re-usable containers. Here is her account:

Upon entering the butchers, I felt uneasy about taking my own re-usable containers and asking the butcher to accommodate my preference for plastic-free packaging; I felt I would be perceived as a nuisance or an inconvenience, not only to the butcher serving me, but to other customers waiting to be served. I was also a little apprehensive about whether I would be perceived as ‘weird’ or ‘strange’, given that I typically don’t like to ‘stand out in the crowd’. To my relief, I was the only customer in the shop and the butcher who served me was very forthcoming. Nevertheless, (perhaps to satisfy my own concerns about the butchers’ perceptions of me), I felt obliged to let the butcher know about the Plastic-free July campaign and what engaging in the campaign meant for me on a very practical level.

He adapted his ‘usual way of working’, first wrapping the meat and then weighing and recording the cost of each proportion of meat, before helping me pack the meat in the different-sized containers I brought, in the most efficient way. Some re-organisation was required here and our puzzle-like efforts were needed to ensure that the different types of meat fit neatly in the containers.

Interestingly, the butcher individually wrapped the different types of meat I bought within a wax-like, smooth-textured paper (as shown in figure 1) without question, which raised further questions for me about how we define ‘plastic’ and ‘plastic packaging’. Did the butchers’ paper even contain plastic? Perhaps not?

When I returned home, I found that I could still compartmentalise my fridge in the way I would usually do so; keeping the raw meat together on the bottom shelf. Although, these bulky containers had taken up more space than my conventional plastic packaging meat packs that I generally buy from the supermarket.

I later realised that I had made a number of assumptions myself; 1) I introduced the Plastic Free July campaign and my involvement in the campaign based on the premise that the butcher would wrap all products in plastic packaging. 2) that being ‘out of the ordinary’ would be negatively received.

Figure 2. Alternative forms of packaging

Reflections

Introspecting upon her trip to the local butchers, our team member came to a number of conclusions which we discuss in detail below.

Practicality

The practicality of carrying potentially bulky containers around can pose a significant challenge. I, alongside other members of the Plastic Packaging in People’s Lives team are privileged in the sense that we have access to a car and the convenience of being able to store our reusable containers in the car boot (providing we remember to put them in the car in the first place). Does this pose a potential challenge for those who do not necessarily have access to a car?

It is also worth considering the physical composition of the reusable containers themselves, both in terms of their ability to place limits on what you can buy, (guided by what you can fit in your containers) and the space they consume in your fridge. Would there be enough space to contain raw meat in sealed containers, separate from other fresh produce, for a family of four or five? When the containers are not in use, will you need to find additional storage space in your kitchen cupboards?



Planning and organisation

The need to plan ahead and organise your time so you can account for when you may need the containers and take them with you is another important consideration. Ensuring that you have enough containers washed and ready for your next shop, is perhaps another step you’ll need to take into account when thinking about your food shop. Will you need to assign ‘meat boxes’ and separate these from you ‘lunch boxes’? What about those impromptu stops at the supermarket on your way home after a day out? Do the reusable containers provoke new ways of shopping for food?

Time commitment

We are living in an era where ‘time scarcity’ or, rather, the feeling of having little time is prevalent. Within current food provisioning systems, particularly in my local area, where plastic is embedded in the system of provision, buying meat directly from the local butchers gave me the opportunity to gain some control over the way my meat was packaged. However, sourcing our food from various different outlets (like the butchers) as opposed to the convenience and time it takes to travel to one supermarket to undertake the entire shop; our meat, fruits and vegetables and dairy goods can be particularly challenging and more demanding of my time.

Acceptability and connectivity

Having the space to talk to local butchers and explore if and how they are engaging with the dialogue around plastic packaging was enlightening and it brought with it a sense of community and togetherness that perhaps may not have come to light otherwise. Such feelings of connectivity might also help to nurture alternative disposal practices and normalise plastic-free behaviours.



Authors: Dr Charlotte Hadley, Dr James Cronin, Dr Alex Skandalis, Dr John Hardy, Prof. Linda Hendry, Prof. Maria Piacentini, Dr Matteo Saltalippi, Dr Alison Stowell, Dr Savita Verma.

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