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Germans consume fewer thin plastic bags

To pack fruit or vegetables in the store, Germans still reached for shirt bags an average of 44 times in 2019.

 

Overall, consumption fell from 3.75 billion to 3.65 billion, according to figures from the Federal Statistical Office. Compared to other EU countries, the very thin plastic bags are already used sparingly in Germany. Per capita consumption was 280 plastic bags in Lithuania in 2019, 235 in the Czech Republic and 213 in Latvia. The Belgians and Hungarians were the most frugal: there, per capita consumption in 2019 was 7 and 20 plastic bags, respectively. The "shirt bags" are exempt from the plastic bag ban that has been in force in Germany since the beginning of the year. Environmental organizations such as the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union of Germany (NABU) recommend reusable cotton nets as an alternative to avoid plastic. NABU advises against disposable paper bags. For their production, in order to make them stable, significantly more material and energy is needed than for plastic bags.

 

Sources:

  • recyclingmagazin.de (Jan. 5, 2022)
  • süddeutsche.de (Jan. 4, 2022)
  • Foto: Fotolia

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