Shopping

Find more tips and and a plastic audit sheet on the Action on Plastic website. 

Bronze tips 

• 🍽 Buy olives in glass jars rather than in plastic pots or vacuum packs (these are usually cheaper too!)
• 🧈Buy butter in paper (this usually isn’t recyclable but has less plastic) rather than in a tub
• 🥕Buy loose veg at the supermarket - don’t worry about putting it in a plastic bag, just take it to the checkout as it is and give it a good wash before cooking! Watch out for super easy swaps on things like bananas, sweetcorn and lemons!
• 🥃Buy drinks in cans rather than in plastic bottles - even water comes in cans now! Remember metal can be recycled infinitely but plastic can only be recycled a few times. 
• 🥐Swap fresh produce (Things like meat, meat alternatives, ready to bake pastries) for frozen.  Although they are still likely to be wrapped in plastic there will be less plastic overall than fresh foods which tend to come in plastic trays. 
• 🥫Swap vacuum packed cooked lentils or chestnuts for canned goods (they are usually cheaper too)

Silver 

• 🍳 Buy oil in glass rather than in plastic bottles (often this will be slightly more expensive but keep an eye out for deals and offers)
• 🐟 Buy fish, cheese and meat at the counter in the supermarket and take your own tubs, the staff will be happy to use them for you 

Gold 

• 🥧 Buy local bakery mince pies that just come with foil cases and no plastic wrapping
• 📦 Sign up to a local veg box delivery scheme that has zero packaging
• 🐮 Buy from your local greengrocers or butchers and take your own containers. Find your nearest local farm shop here
• 🥛 Get a milk delivery in glass bottles – if you are worried about running out you can always top up with milk from the supermarket as and when needed, you don’t need to be 100% plastic free!
• Find your local loose food shop and buy what you can from there.