Updated grocery store audit finds just as much plastic overall, with increases in the baby food and soup aisles
Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – Environmental Defence’s latest audit of Canada’s major grocery retailers found nearly two-thirds of foods on key shelves, including produce, baby food and soups, are wrapped in plastic. The audit shows notable increases in the amount of plastic-wrapped foods marketed for babies and toddlers and a further shift away from cans in the soup aisle when compared to the original audit conducted in 2022. The amount of plastic in the produce section remained essentially unchanged, sitting at 70 per cent compared to 71 per cent in 2022.
“We are still bringing home an enormous amount of plastic from our grocery trips,” said Karen Wirsig, Senior Program Manager for Plastics at Environmental Defence. “And even more food for babies and toddlers is wrapped in plastic, not only creating waste but — as growing evidence suggests — exposing children in these vulnerable age groups to harmful chemical additives and microplastics.”
The 2024 audit enabled Environmental Defence to identify the types of plastic on the shelves to assess whether the grocers are moving, as they promised, to recyclable or reusable packaging. The audit found that only 16 per cent of the packaging included in the audit is a type that is widely recycled — primarily clear or colourless rigid plastic containers. The vast majority was found to be designed for a single use and not recycled in Canada, including mesh bags, foam, stand-up pouches, film bags and packages made of mixed materials.
The federal government has called on grocery stores to reduce unnecessary single-use plastic, highlighting packaging for fruits and vegetables. However, the audit found only a small increase in unwrapped produce, increasing from 27 per cent to 29 per cent. Loblaw-owned stores had the lowest proportion of unwrapped produce, at only 17.8 per cent.
“The major grocery retailers are not reducing throwaway plastic packaging on their own,” added Wirsig. “It’s more important than ever for the federal government to go ahead with its plan to require them to do it. We know people in Canada want this, with 84 per cent supporting the elimination of unnecessary plastic grocery packaging.”
The 2024 audit also looked at how multi-packs of beverages are bundled in grocery stores since the federal ban on plastic “six-pack rings” came into effect in June. A full 38 per cent of six- and eight-packs are held together with single-use plastic wrap — an alternative that is not a real improvement.
“Replacing six-pack rings with plastic wrap is irresponsible given the plastic pollution crisis unfolding around the world,” Wirsig said. “There are many alternatives, including allowing customers to select the number of individual beverages they want themselves. Paper ties and other non-plastic alternatives are also available.”
The audit update was conducted in August 2024 among 13 stores in four of Canada’s top grocery chains: Loblaw, Empire, Metro and Walmart.
Click here to view the full report.
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.
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For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Lauren Thomas, Environmental Defence, media@environmentaldefence.ca
