Supermarket retailers in the UK are being urged to stop selling all fruit and vegetables in plastic packaging.
A new report released by waste reduction charity WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) after an 18-month study has recommended that supermarkets and grocery retailers remove best before dates and plastic packaging from all fresh fruit and vegetables to prevent 14 million shopping baskets worth of food from going to waste.
The charity did the study into five frequently-wasted food items – apples, bananas, broccoli, cucumber, and potatoes.
The items were stored in the original packaging and at different temperatures.
The charity found that selling the five items loose and removing best before dates could result in a combined yearly saving of around 100,000 tonnes of household food waste, which is more than 10,300 tonnes of plastic and 130,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
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Supermarket retailers are being urged to stop selling all fruit and vegetables in plastic packaging / Credit: Unsplash ( Yuval Yehudar | Thomas Le)
WRAP said its findings debunk the idea that single-use plastic wrappers help prevent waste, admitting that they make “little to no difference to shelf life”, and said it has shared its recommendations with the UK’s largest food retailers.
Implementing them, however, it said was “likely to take time”.
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Speaking on the findings from the study, Marcus Gover – CEO at WRAP – explained: “This important research could be a game-changer in the fight against food waste and plastic pollution [as] we have demystified the relationship between wasted food, plastic packaging, date labels and food storage.
“We are all living with the reality of the climate emergency and the rising cost of living [so] this new clarity could not be more timely.
“We need retailers to step up and follow our recommendations so we can achieve real progress in tackling food waste and plastic pollution as this helps save the planet and us money at the same time – a real win-win.”
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WRAP said its findings debunk the idea that single-use plastic wrappers help prevent waste / Credit: Unsplash (Alexander Schimmeck)
WRAP conceded it would take time for things to change and it will now consult the Food Standards Agency, Defra, and the food industry to make loose produce in supermarkets a reality by 2025.
Food Standards Agency chairwoman, Susan Jebb, added that businesses should ensure the right date label is applied to their products to help consumers make informed choices and reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses, explaining: “A ‘best before’ date is about quality which means the food will be safe to eat after this date, even if it may not be at its best.
“Business should display ‘use by’ dates for food like meat products and ready to eat salads which could be unsafe if left for too long.
“Date labels are important – not only for cutting down on food waste, but for keeping us safe too.”
Featured Image – Unsplash
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Medlock Square: Manchester’s new £300 million entertainment destination on the Etihad Campus
Danny Jones
Manchester’s newest entertainment destination, located over at the ever-growing Etihad Campus, has finally been given a name ahead of its launch later this year.
Alongside the recently announced and Radisson-run hotel, Medlock Square will see the Manchester City-partnered mini leisure district aim to become a new must-visit part of the city.
Hoping to draw in crowds beyond just matchdays and those heading to concerts across the way, approximately £300 million is being pumped into the project.
With Co-op Live having already brought huge revenues into Greater Manchester, it isn’t just set to be a pricey development, but one that will look to serve as yet another money spinner for the wider City Football Group (CFG) and the City Region.
Credit: CFG (supplied)
Unveiling the first CGIs of the square this week, this new area will essentially see attractions and activities spill out of the Etihad Stadium, Co-op Live and the soon-to-open Medlock hotel and on to the campus as a whole.
With other parts of Sportcity already revolving around the footballing epicentre, such as the Manchester Regional Arena and National Squash Centre, this will not only see even more sporting events and supporters brought to the roughly 80-acre plot, but also fans of various other forms of entertainment.
For instance, within the plans that already include the food and drink offerings you would expect – with Radisson Blu backing more of the relaxation and indulgent side of things – other activities include everything from “an adrenaline-fuelled sky walk experience”, as well as zip-wire and abseiling.
We already knew about some of these from the details in Man City’s stadium expansion plans (including the likes of The Medlock and rooftop bar), and glimpses of the impending hotel opening gave us a better idea of the overall look, but there looks to be plenty more in the pipeline.
You can see a trailer for what they have in mind for Medlock Square down below.
Welcome to Medlock Square. Manchester’s newest entertainment destination. A place where mouthwatering cuisine and world class entertainment, experiences and events converge. Coming soon! pic.twitter.com/4bC7NQbMHT
As per an official press release by the fledgling team, more information on further business and employment opportunities has also now been confirmed, centring around the new ‘One Medlock Square’ structure that will be built on the campus.
“Designed to accommodate up to 300 employees, the state-of-the-art workspace will offer high-quality, modern office facilities alongside access to shared event spaces and wellness amenities, uniquely positioned within Manchester’s most exciting new destination”, the statement reads.
There’s certainly some ambitious stuff in the works, put it that way.
And, of course, these will also slot into a renovated club shop turned meagstore, an all-new Man City museum, the Co-op arena, live music and other open-air events, just to name a few. A specific opening date is yet to be scheduled, but you can guarantee it’ll be a big deal when it does launch.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via City Football Group)
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Staff at four Greater Manchester hospitals to start wearing body-worn cameras after rise ‘abusive behaviour’
Emily Sergeant
Frontline staff at four hospitals in Greater Manchester are set to start wearing body-worn cameras on their shifts.
In a move designed to protect and keep frontline healthcare colleagues safe following a noticeable rise in ‘abusive behaviour’ directed towards them, Northern Care Alliance has announced that it has made the decision to introduce body-worn cameras across all four of our hospitals in Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, and Salford.
It’s hoped that these small cameras will help create an overall ‘safer environment’ for staff and visitors, and also allow the NHS to use the footage as evidence in any criminal or civil court action.
— Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) (@NCAlliance_NHS) March 4, 2026
They will be worn by all designated clinical staff with the aim of reducing violent incidents of threatening behaviour for both staff and other patients.
So, how will they work?
The Northern Care Alliance has explained that the cameras are only activated when a worker feels threatened and only after informing the individual involved. Once switched on, they record both video and audio, creating a clear, unbiased account of what happened. This footage can be used to support investigations and deter future incidents.
Staff at four Greater Manchester hospitals are to start wearing body-worn cameras after a rise ‘abusive behaviour’ / Credit: Pxhere
“As a team working on the frontline of emergency care, we have welcomed the introduction of body‑worn cameras as an important step in protecting both our staff and our patients,” commented Julie Newton, who is the lead nurse in the Emergency Department at Fairfield General Hospital.
“Unfortunately, incidents of violence and aggression do occur, and these devices provide an objective record that helps ensure situations are managed safely and appropriately.
“Knowing that footage can support investigations and, where necessary, prosecution gives our colleagues greater confidence and reassurance.
“Most importantly, the cameras help us create a safer, more respectful environment so we can focus on delivering the best possible care to those who need us.”
Emily Sergeant -
24th February 2022 
