New Poll: 84 per cent of People across Canada Want Grocery Chains to Get Rid of Unnecessary Plastic

Support also strong for further government action on plastics

Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat - A July poll commissioned by Environmental Defence, and conducted by Abacus Data confirms that the overwhelming majority of people across Canada - 84 per cent - want less single-use plastic in the grocery store. As well, more than 80 per cent support further actions from the federal government to address plastic waste and pollution additional to the single-use plastic bans that came into effect at the end of 2023.

"Plastics producers, grocers and their lobby groups have been trying hard to undermine the federal government's action on plastics, from filing lawsuits to threatening price spikes for consumer goods," said Karen Wirsig, Senior Program Manager for Plastics at Environmental Defence. "The poll shows these shameful tactics aren't convincing anyone. In fact, people across Canada clearly want businesses and the federal government to do more to address plastic pollution."

Canada is among dozens of countries around the world that have adopted bans on single-use plastics. But bans on a few items will not be enough to stop the impacts of plastic pollution on the environment, wildlife and human health. Plastic creates pollution from the moment it is made and continues polluting long after it is thrown away-often after a brief, single use. Environmental Defence is advocating for regulations to further restrict and ban single-use plastics and eliminate harmful chemical additives, as well as a shift to accessible and convenient reusable packaging systems.

"It's encouraging that people in Canada have not bought into the fear-mongering and disinformation about the plastic bans," Wirsig added. "People everywhere understand that plastic is creating a pollution crisis and they want governments and polluters to take action to stop it. Plastic food packaging is unavoidable, and so we all bring home too much plastic from the grocery store. That's something the major retailers can fix and their customers would clearly support them in doing it."

Microplastics and chemical additives from packaging are also finding their way into food and drinks, raising alarm bells about the impact of plastic food packaging on peoples' health. Concerns about the impacts of plastic food and beverage packaging were reflected in the survey, with two-thirds of respondents saying they prefer to drink beverages from a glass bottle instead of a plastic bottle, and 18 per cent having no preference. Drink containers are also among the most littered plastic items and environmental groups have urged the federal government to include plastic drink containers in an expanded ban.

Strong support for action on plastic was shared across party lines and geography, with the highest levels in Quebec, Atlantic Canada and British Columbia. People aged 60 and older were most likely to support both increased federal action on plastics and the elimination of plastic packaging at the grocery store.

"As we come to the end of another Plastic Free July, governments, political parties and businesses need to come to terms with the fact that they are failing to turn the plastic tide," Wirsig said. "There is more and more plastic in our lives-it's in our environment, our lakes, rivers and oceans, and in our bodies. The poll shows that people are not going to just accept it. We want more action, urgently."

The poll was conducted by Abacus Data with a random sample of panelists during the week of July 4 to 9. The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random sample of the same size is +/- 2.19%, 19 times out of 20.

Click here to read the full polling results

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, [email protected]

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