More than half of candy sold in Hong Kong packaged in unspecified plastic, survey finds
- Green Earth urges companies to switch to materials such as paper to wrap products and provide consumers with the option to buy loose goods
- International giants Ferrero, Mars and Nestle have all pledged to switch to 100 per cent reusable, recyclable or biodegradable packaging by 2025
More than half of the candy sold in Hong Kong is packaged in unspecified types of plastic, a survey has found, despite a global pledge by leading producers to switch to more environmentally friendly materials by 2025.
Local environment group The Green Earth revealed the finding on Wednesday after conducting a survey of 400 types of pre-packaged candy sold in supermarkets in April and May.
It urged companies to switch to materials such as paper to wrap products and provide consumers with the option to buy loose candies.
“We are very disappointed in the international companies that have made international pledges to reduce plastic, but continue to ignore the fact that Hong Kong lacks the infrastructure to widely recycle such packaging,” said Edmond Lau Shiu-hong, Green Earth’s senior advocacy officer.
“Companies should not selectively carry out their plastic reduction efforts in certain markets. That is the only way they can achieve good public relations and really cut down their plastic.”
