A significant portion of the population is unaware of the meanings behind packaging symbols, shows a recent research.
According to a study conducted by Plasticsheetsshop among over 800 British people, a striking 90 per cent of respondents admitted to knowing the meaning of only a few symbols, while 6 per cent confessed to not understanding any at all.
Just a small group (4 per cent) reported being well-versed in these symbols, facilitating more effective waste separation.
the study finds that when uncertain about which bin to use for a particular piece of packaging, 58 per cent rely on their intuition. Only 17 per cent consult official waste separation guidelines, whereas 21 per cent dispose of such packaging in the general waste bin without further consideration.
On average, 82 per cent correctly identified them. However, participants struggled most with the symbol indicating that “each piece of packaging, a financial contribution has been paid to a national packaging recovery organisation,” with only 12 per cent recognising it.
Additionally, 14 per cent failed to identify the glass recycling symbol. In contrast, nearly all respondents recognized the symbol meaning “you should throw it in the trash after use.”