40 grocers, 5 cities: Our plastic survey results

 40 grocers, 5 cities: Our plastic survey results

• WISPIRG 

  From:action@pirg.org

  To:MR. Mark M Giese

  Mon, Apr 13 2026 at 9:13 AM

  Mark M, The produce aisle has a plastic problem. We've all had that frustrating moment at the grocery store, staring down a lone bell pepper or a bunch of bananas wrapped in completely unnecessary plastic. But as it turns out, not all supermarkets have the same plastic footprint. That's what our researchers here at WISPIRG Foundation found when we surveyed 40 grocery stores across five U.S. cities. We checked the packaging for common fruits and vegetables including broccoli, carrots, lemons, strawberries and more. Let's take a look at what we found: Our survey found that retailers vary widely in how much -- or how little -- plastic they use. In fact, the most plastic-intensive grocer in our survey (Amazon/Whole Foods) used nearly double that of the least plastic-intensive grocer (Rainbow Grocery, San Francisco).1 We also found that the largest grocers by market share also tend to be the most plastic-intensive. In our survey, Walmart, Kroger, Costco and Amazon all ranked in the top five for the highest use of plastic packaging.2 When it comes to taking home less plastic, shopping small and shopping local may be your best bet. Packaging design choices can have a massive impact. Rigid plastic clamshell containers use far more plastic per unit of produce volume than any other type of packaging. For example, selling fresh basil in a clamshell might use up to 36 times more plastic than simply using a twist tie.3 Be sure to avoid rigid plastic packaging such as clamshells whenever possible. And if an unpackaged product is not available, choose non-plastic packaging such as a paper bag or cardboard. Plastic is definitely pervasive...but is it necessary? In a word, no. Most of us remember a time when grocery stores, especially produce aisles, used a tiny fraction as much plastic as we see today. Plenty of stores still sell fruits and veggies completely loose, without added packaging. And while plastic film produce bags are the norm across all the supermarkets we surveyed, four stores also offered paper bags.4 If sustainability is at the top of your list when deciding where to shop, keep an eye out for supermarkets that let you buy a bunch of bananas or a head of broccoli without plastic. To go the extra mile, bring your own reusable totes and skip those thin plastic film bags in the produce aisle entirely. Navigating the produce aisle shouldn't feel like a plastic minefield. While we hope our research will help you make informed decisions at the grocery store, we must also move toward a future with fewer plastic-packaged items in the first place. That's exactly why we're petitioning the biggest retailers to eliminate unnecessary packaging. Thank you, Faye Park President, National Office 1. "Plastic in the Produce Aisle," WISPIRG Foundation, March 30, 2026. 2. "Plastic in the Produce Aisle," WISPIRG Foundation, March 30, 2026. 3. "Plastic in the Produce Aisle," WISPIRG Foundation, March 30, 2026. 4. "Plastic in the Produce Aisle," WISPIRG Foundation, March 30, 2026.