5,672 tonnes of packaging generated every Easter

Every year, 80 million Easter eggs are purchased in the UK. With just 16 days to go, waste management experts Business Waste have calculated that a whopping 5,672 tonnes of packaging will be binned.

By analysing ten popular high street Easter eggs, experts uncovered that on average, most products are just 75% chocolate, with the remaining 25% (70.9g)dedicated to packaging.

On average, each easter egg package was made up of:

• 6.4g of plastic
• 62g of cardboard
• 2.3g of foil

With around 80 million Easter eggs sold every year in the UK, this quickly stacks up to an estimated 5,672 tonnes of packaging.

This means Easter egg sales in the UK could generate:

• 512 tonnes of plastic, equivalent to 1,408 tonnes CO₂
• 4,960 tonnes of cardboard, the same weight as 2,480,000 bunnies
• 184 tonnes of foil, which could have a combined scrap value of as much as £59,000

How can we reduce Easter egg packaging waste?

1. Go plastic-free

Where possible, eliminate all plastic packaging from Easter egg products. Many brands have already achieved this.

2. Make use of recycled materials

Utilising recycled materials is a great way to reduce the environmental impact of packaging. Recycled cardboard can make a great option for Easter egg boxes.

3. Always provide on-pack instructions

Providing clear on-box instructions helps consumers to separate and recycle packaging.

4. Make packaging more snug

This reduces the need for plastic display shells and means less material is used overall.

5. Bundle products in shared packaging instead of individual wraps

This can reduce the overall use of materials and prevent unnecessary plastic or other material use.

Over the years, many Easter egg producers have made great strides to reduce the use of plastic in their packaging. This is great to see, as producing plastic is resource-intensive; producing one tonne of plastic generates 5 tonnes of carbon dioxide. We’d love to see manufacturers pushing further to reduce unnecessary packaging with Easter products. Not only would this benefit the environment, but it would also allow consumers to clearly see what produce they’re getting for their money.

Mark Hall, waste management expert at Business Waste.

Facts about easter waste can be found here.

Business Waste provides nationwide commercial waste management and recycling services for UK organisations of all sizes.