Follow the Plastic
Where does supermarket soft plastic packaging really go?
Soft plastic recycling should not be a black box.
Kids Against Plastic
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Kids Against Plastic
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Where does supermarket soft plastic packaging really go?
Soft plastic recycling should not be a black box.
Lots of soft plastic packaging now tells us to recycle it at supermarket collection points.
That sounds simple. But what actually happens after we drop it off?
KAP is following the plastic to ask what really happens next. We are looking at previous investigations, sharing our own AirTag findings, and asking supermarkets, brands and waste companies for clearer answers.
This is not about blaming shoppers. It is about transparency, responsibility and honest labelling.
Soft plastic packaging is the flexible plastic used for wrappers, packets, bags, film and pouches.
It often includes crisp packets, bread bags, salad bags, pasta and rice bags, multipack wrapping, snack wrappers, frozen food bags and plastic film from packaging.
Most of it cannot go into normal kerbside recycling, so packaging labels often tell people to take it to supermarket collection points.
That is where the question starts:
What happens next?
Responsible consumption
People deserve clear information about the packaging they are told to recycle.
Climate impact
If soft plastic is transported, burned or turned into fuel, that matters.
Plastic pollution
Soft plastic is lightweight, hard to manage and can escape the waste system.
A KAP campaign helping young people, schools and families investigate what happens to supermarket soft plastic packaging after collection.
Useful for
Eco-clubs, school councils, KAP Club members, families and young people acting independently.
Step 2 – Investigate
– Find out about soft packaging has/is being investigated
Live Tracker
– Follow KAP’s AirTag findings and live tracker updates.
Step 3 – Share
– Share KAP’s findings using #PACKETin.
Tracked plastic packaging showed how complex and unclear soft plastic waste routes can be.
Tracked supermarket soft plastic raised serious questions about how much is recycled and how much is burned or exported.
KAP tracked four pieces of soft plastic from a Sainsbury’s collection point in Arnold, Nottingham.
These investigations do not tell us everything. But they do show why soft plastic recycling needs clearer answers.
In our first small investigation, KAP placed four AirTags inside clean soft plastic packaging and returned them through a Sainsbury’s collection point in Arnold, Nottingham.
The trackers appeared to move through different parts of the waste and recycling system. Some routes became unclear. The test did not prove what happens to all soft plastic, but it raised fair questions about what happens after collection.
KAP is not the first to ask where soft plastic packaging goes after collection. Larger investigations have already raised serious questions about supermarket soft plastic recycling schemes.
What this investigation showed
What this investigation does not prove
That is why we are following the plastic again.
KAP will now follow four more pieces of soft plastic packaging, one at a time.
We will share updates as each tracker moves, stops or raises new questions.
AirTags do not provide constant GPS tracking. They update when nearby Apple devices detect them through Apple’s Find My network.
We will share updates when a tracker moves, stops or raises a new question.
Tracker 1: coming soon
Packaging: Crisp packets
Start point: to be confirmed
Status: waiting to launch
Tracker 2: coming soon
Packaging: Bread bags
Start point: to be confirmed
Status: waiting to launch
Tracker 3: coming soon
Packaging: Carrier bags
Start point: to be confirmed
Status: waiting to launch
Tracker 4: coming soon
Packaging: Salad packaging
Start point: to be confirmed
Status: waiting to launch
Once each tracker is launched, we will record what we know, what we do not know, and what questions the journey raises.
Click on each tracker above to find out where it is on its journey.
#PACKETin is the action part of Follow the Plastic.
It is a way for for KAP, initially, to ask brands, supermarkets and waste companies clearer questions about soft plastic packaging.
The aim is not to blame shoppers or shop staff. The aim is to ask what happens after collection, and whether packaging labels are clear enough.
When the tracker investigation has finished, we’ll…
Find a packet
Look for soft plastic packaging that says “recycle at supermarket” or similar.
Ask a fair question
Contact the supermarket and ask what happens to the plastic after collection.
Share responsibly
Use #PACKETin to share the question, the response we received.
Responsible campaigning matters
Start by learning what soft plastic packaging is and then follow the live tracker.
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