Three-quarters of Brits want plastic-free food packaging at major events

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to generate an estimated 156 tonnes of single-use plastic waste, three-quarters of Brits say food packaging at major events this summer should be plastic-free.

New research, released as part of London Climate Action Week, has found three-quarters of the public (74%) want major sporting events, such as the World Cup, to use only plastic-free food packaging.

Enough single-use plastic waste to stretch the length of more than 13,000 football pitches will be generated during this summer's tournament, with FIFA's recent U-turn on plastic water bottles expected to make the problem worse.

Festivals are part of the same picture. More than 1.3 million single-use food containers are thrown away in a typical UK festival season.

Despite growing concern about plastic waste, much of it remains hard to avoid. Many single-use food containers that appear to be paper or card are lined with a thin layer of hidden plastic. Half of the public (49%) said they did not realise that most paper and cardboard takeaway food boxes are lined with plastic.

This plastic barrier can make food packaging difficult to recycle and more likely to end up in landfill, even when people believe they are disposing of it responsibly.

Almost four in five people (79%) say food packaging should clearly state whether it contains plastic, so they can make informed choices, while 80% believe all food packaging, such as those used in takeaways and supermarkets, should be plastic-free where possible.

The research was commissioned by UK materials innovation company Xampla, who make world-first plastic-free materials made from plants, for the food packaging industry.

The public care deeply about the environment and want to play their part to address the global plastic pollution crisis.

Until now, consumers have had no choice other than to eat their half-time food in packaging made with plastic. Solutions like Morro materials are changing that, making it easier than ever for brands and businesses to offer genuinely plastic-free options.

With millions of people attending festivals and sporting events this summer, there is a real opportunity for food businesses, the events industry, and manufacturers to demonstrate that scalable, plastic-free alternatives already exist.

Alexandra French, CEO of Xampla.

The findings come as leaders from business, government and advocacy organisations gather for London Climate Action Week to discuss innovative solutions to the world’s climate challenges.

With sustained public concern around the scale of plastic pollution, the foodservice industry is accelerating its adoption of natural alternatives at scale. This spring, Just Eat Takeaway.com launched plastic-free takeaway boxes using Xampla's Morro Coating across 10 European markets.

Made from natural polymers without any chemical modification, Morro Coating is the only food packaging coating to be verified as plastic-free and SUPD-exempt by the National Physical Laboratory, the UK's national measurement institute.

As a summer of international sport and festivals gets under way, the shift to plastic-free packaging has never been simpler for businesses and consumers alike.