Supply chain

The Women's Institute (WI) has called time on its anti-packaging campaign so it can focus on other issues of interest to its members.

The WI said it was "pleased with the results" of the two-year campaign because companies were "taking more care" over packaging selection and production.

"Supermarkets are now selling more of their products without plastic bags, and are looking to make more packaging recyclable. It's definitely a positive result [to the campaign]," said a spokesman.

The campaign against packaging started in 2005 when WI members voted overwhelmingly in favour of campaigning to reduce waste. A first packaging day of action was held in June 2006, and the event was repeated 12 months later.

Asda organised a meeting with the WI in July 2007, inviting members to bring examples of so-called "excess packaging" for its packaging team and industry heads to analyse.

Packaging Federation chief executive Dick Searle applauded the WI's willingness to listen and welcomed that it had decided to move on to other issues. However, he said there were still "a lot of hearts and minds to be won".

"The [end of the campaign] doesn't mean we should stop talking to people about packaging," he said.

But the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (Incpen) criticised the WI for overlooking the fact that "different people have different lifestyles" and its "narrow definition" of "excessive" packaging.

"We still maintain that fruit and vegetable packaging is a valuable use of material if it extends shelf life," said director Jane Bickerstaffe.

Violence against women is to be the WI's focus for 2008. The change is part of a "normal process" in which members vote on the issues to be followed in the course of the year, according to the WI spokesman.

"We have limited staff and want to focus on organising quality campaigns in those areas our members are most passionate about," he said.