I suppose both methods put pressure on Supermarkets to change, but voting with your wallet is the strongest. Although I'm not sure if the supermarket would realise why a sale hadnt been made unless you made it clear to them why, whereas a big pile of carboard and plastic on a till would stick in a managers mind.

I'd be too embarrassed personally.

As part of my eco-team "tasks" I've been trying to find out if it was legal to leave excess packaging at the till when at the supermarket. The short answer is I haven't been able to find a definite answer… anyone know?

Here's the Independent newspaper said:

"If you do buy it, rip the packaging off and leave it on the counter. This suggestion was made by the Environment Minister, Ben Bradshaw. Supermarkets have to accept that if the packaging stays in their shops, it's their responsibility".

It would obviously be pretty embarrassing to dump all the plastic and card at the till, and the Lib Dem's put forward a proposal that supermarkets should have to provide bins at their stores for people to dump packaging in.

"The Retail Packaging Recycling Bill, sponsored by Liberal Democrat MP Andrew Stunell, would require shops to provide in-store collection points, to which customers could return packaging for recycling."

The bill was not given time in the house but the Lib Dem's have also set up a "ScrapThisPack" website to help the campaign (it contains news/video's etc).

The best option is to avoid buying shopping with unneserery packaging but this is not always possible.

The Daily Mail has an interesting article on the sheer volume of packaging.

One website suggests sending this email:

TO: localsupermarket@town.co.uk

FROM: Traceysmith@home.co.uk

SUBJECT: Your Corporate Social Responsibility obligations and disposal of unwanted excess wrapping and packaging.

Dear Mr/Mrs Supermarket Manager

Recently, I learned that packaging waste makes up around 24-30% of the household rubbish generated throughout the UK I also discovered that packaging represents £10 (13%) of each £75 spent on the average shopping bill.

The responsibility for disposal of this packaging is immediately passed to me the moment I purchase goods and leave your store. However, I am not obliged to take this excessive packaging home with me, and I feel the time has come for change. If the packaging stays within your shop, the onus falls upon you to dispose of it responsibly.

I would like to see suitable receptacles in your store for customers to deposit their excess packaging in. We will require somewhere for cardboard/plastic film/cellophane wrapping/multi-pack holders etc.

Worldwide environmental issues are a concern for us all and the profile of recycling is being constantly elevated.

I fail to see why consumers should continue to have to deal with a problem that has been created by retailers. It’s time for you to accept your corporate social responsibility and show us that you care about recycling.

I have been a loyal customer of your store for many years and I look forward to hearing from you as to when you will be installing these facilities.

The receptacles need not be custom-built – simple large boxes will suffice in the short term – but please look seriously at taking this initiative on in a permanent form.

If we as a nation are going to make any positive impact to our local and global environment we must act now.

If I do not receive a reply to this email, I have no choice but to leave my excess wrapping and packaging at your till, as I am perfectly entitled to do. I have many supporters of this simple initiative who are also willing to act.

I await your reply with hopeful anticipation.

cc: Your local radio newsdesk"

Anyone else know if we are within our right to leave packaging at the till for the store to recycle?