Supermarkets have failed to reduce the amount of waste they create with all the packaging they wrap our food in.

Every year, for the past five years, food chains have made 2.9 million tonnes of packaging waste, according to the Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap). Supermarkets say they need to wrap some food in several layers of plastic and card to protect, transport and stack it on the shop shelves.

However, the general public – you and me – are much better at cutting down the amount of food we waste. We now throw away 270,000 tonnes less food a year. People still throw away too much food but the amount is being reduced because shoppers are getting better at buying only food that is needed, and using it up before the food goes bad.

There is more that you can do to reduce the amount of supermarket packaging you put in the bin:

Reducing the amount you bring home in the first place is the best idea. Buy vegetables loose or reuse bags to carry them in. If possible choose food with the least amount of packaging or wrapping that you know you can recycle.

Recycle as much wrapping as possible. Card, paper, glass and plastic bottles can be recycled by most councils.

If you have a garden make a compost heap to recycle your veggie peelings or find out if your council can recycle your leftover food.

Think of inventive and imaginative ways to reuse packaging. Take a look at myzerowaste.com for ideas.