Sustainable Food Production, Consumption, and the Generation of

3.0 Food Packaging Waste:
Consumer Perception and Ecological Consumerism in Victoria, BC.
Crystal Tremblay
Abstract: The amount of packaging sent to landfill sites for disposal has gained considerable
prominence as an environmental issue in Canada as a result of the 1990 National Protocol on
Packaging. Policies aimed at changing consumer awareness of and attitudes towards the
environmental impact of consumption are becoming more prevalent in Canada’s waste
management goals. This research presents an overview of packaging waste in the food industry,
with a particular focus on the Capital Regional District. Consumer perception of food packaging
waste and recycling behaviour is analyzed in an attempt to highlight consumer awareness of the
urgency for reducing food packaging in the waste stream. Recommendations from consumers,
industry and local government are presented for reducing food packaging waste in the Capital
Regional District. This research provides an overview of consumer perception aimed for the
purpose of influencing policy discussions.
Key words: food packaging waste, ecological consumerism, recycling, waste management,
consumer perception.
3.1. Introduction
As a result of increased packaging in the waste stream, measures to reduce the amount
and toxicity of packaging and to encourage its reduction and recycling are a major environmental
concern for many countries (McCarthy, 1993). Of all the manufacturing industries, the food
industry generates the largest demand on packaging (Henningsson et al., 2004). Minimizing the
packaging of food products presents an opportunity as well as a challenge to the food industry as
the main concern in the supply-chain is for food safety. In order to maintain food hygiene and
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