With the FIFA World Cup set to generate an estimated 156 tonnes of single-use plastic waste, 74% of people in the UK have said they want plastic-free packaging at events this summer.
The materials innovation company Xampla, which commissioned the research, says the FIFA World Cup will generate enough single-use plastic waste to stretch the length of more than 13,000 football pitches.
With the FIFA World Cup kicking off this month, new research, released as part of London Climate Action Week, has found that three-quarters of the public (74%) want major sporting events to only use plastic-free food packaging.
Xampla also highlighted that many single-use food containers that appear to be paper or card are lined with a thin layer of hidden plastic.
The survey found that half of the public (49%) said they did not realise that a lot of paper and cardboard takeaway food boxes are lined with plastic.
79% said food packaging should clearly state whether it contains plastic, so they can make informed choices, while 80% believe all food packaging, such as those used in takeaways and supermarkets, should be plastic-free where possible.
Commenting on the research, Alexandra French, CEO of Xampla, said: “The public cares deeply about the environment and wants to play their part to address the global plastic pollution crisis.”
“With millions of people attending festivals and sporting events this summer, there is a real opportunity for food businesses, the events industry, and manufacturers to demonstrate that scalable, plastic-free alternatives already exist.”