Shoppers pay up to 54% more to buy fruit and veg loose – here’s how much the war on plastic will cost you
As the government announces plans to cut down on plastic waste, Money Saving Expert found that buying wrapped-up fruit and veg is CHEAPER than buying them loose
SHOPPERS are paying up to 54 per cent MORE for loose fruit and veg than if they buy them wrapped in plastic packaging.
The price of fresh fruit and veg in leading supermarkets Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco we're found to be between 10 per cent and 54 per cent more expensive.
The news comes as the government has announced plans to look into taxing all single-use plastics as well as plastic-free aisles in supermarkets within the next 25 years.
Prime Minister Theresa May warned that the 8.3billion tons of plastic produced since the 1950s will more than triple to 34billion tons by 2050 without urgent action.
But an investigation by found that going plastic-free could actually cost the consumers more.
They said that customers were being "penalised for helping the environment".
They compared the prices of loose fruit and veg and with like for like food that weighed the same.
In over half of the examples they checked the consumer was being charged extra for going plastic-free.
Asda customers are forking out up to 64p - or 54 per cent more - for six loose gala apples than ones bagged up in plastic. They cost £1.25 packages but £1.92 loose.
It's the same thing when you buy gala apples from Morrisons that cost £1.50 packaged but £2.55 when bought loose. Shoppers pay £1.05 MORE for the environmentally free option.
What else is wrapped in single-use plastics?
AS the Prime Minister lays out plans to explore putting a tax on unnecessary plastics, it won't just be our fruit and veg that will be affected.
Toiletries like loo roll and tampons are also wrapped in packaging that we bin once we've opened them. They could be subjected to the tax too - but tampons are already taxed as a luxury product.
Plastic drinking straws could also become a thing of the past. Wetherspoon's pubs has already taken the decision to ban them in favour of biodegradable ones.
It could become more expensice to wrap up your sandwhiches because clingfilm is also a single-use plastic - we use it once before binning it.
There has also been a plea to stop using single-use plastic water bottles. Pret is encouraging customers to ditch them in favour of reusable glass ones.
MPs are calling for a clamp down on disposable coffee cups and propose a 25p latte levy.
A three-pack of mixed peppers from Lidl costs 95p but £1.44 loose. They also sell a pack of five oranges for 95p but the same ones loose cost £1.50.
Avocados that are already protected by a hard skin costs £1.75 for a pack of two but £1.98 when bought loose.
At Sainsbury's bananas, Granny Smith apples and mixed peppers were all cheaper to buy wrapped in plastic. So were bananas and peppers from Tesco.
But customers are better off buying loose veggies from some of the stores.
Bananas were founnd to be 9p cheaper loose at Asda and 30p cheaper at Morrisons.
Can you still save money and help the environment?
IF you’re concerned about the use of plastic packaging but still want to save money on your fruit and veg, here are some suggestions from MSE:
- Your local greengrocer or market may be cheaper than some of the supermarkets and use less non-recyclable plastic packaging.
- Morrisons offers a which doesn’t use any plastic packaging, just a recyclable cardboard box. also offer a similar box for £3.50.
- You could consider growing your own veg, from windowsill containers to allotments.
MSE found that shoppers would save the most on loose broccoli where it was £1.03 cheaper per kilogram at Morrisons and 55p per kilogram less at Sainbury's.
Waitrose was the only supermarket where it is cheaper to buy your groceries loose, apart from mushrooms where they were found to cost the same.
A spokesperson from MSE said: "From a money saving point-of-view, don’t assume that loose fruit and veg bought at the supermarket is always cheaper and be sure to compare the price tags, paying close attention to the price per kg if the produce is sold by weight."
The Sun Online has contacted Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda for comment but they are yet to get back to us. Lidl and Waitrose did not wish to add anything.
Most read in money
Toxic waste plastic may have to be burned or buried here after China called time on importing it for recycling.
In 2016 China took in 400,000 tonnes – but from January 1 this year it has banned further imports of “foreign garbage”.
Now, with UK stockpiles building up, eco-group Greenpeace warn that incinerating plastic to recover energy from it is “the wrong answer” – while landfill is also a concern.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 78 24516