The government has stepped in to warn retailers they must do more to prevent people's homes being filled with excessive packaging - or measures will be implemented to make them do so.
Its Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Department for Communities and Local Government have pointed out that the products consumers buy come with far too much outside embellishment, a problem that is especially acute at Christmas time.
Although supermarkets and other stores helped to cut this kind of waste in 2010 and recycling is at an all-time high, the government said people are still confused about what can be reused and what they will have to send to landfill.
The warning used examples including meat that is shrink-wrapped before being placed inside more plastic to demonstrate that some things are protected excessively.
Recycling minister Lord Taylor said: "It's not good enough to keep making and selling packaging that's destined for landfill - it's bad for business, consumers and the environment."
Businesses trying to reduce the amount of packaging they use could consider using booklet labels to display all the necessary information about their product within a much smaller area.
Denny Bros Ltd, 21 December 2011
