ED’S TEAM CIC, a recently formed Bude-based social enterprise, is challenging ‘food on the go companies’ to display strong anti-littering messages at the point of sale, and are suggesting a very blunt message.

The message is: “It’s great that you love our food and drinks. However, if you are going to throw the packaging or cup away and litter our roads and countryside, we do not want you as a customer.”

The government’s recent report on their litter strategy quotes research that found 80% of the population are annoyed by litter, so a strong message should be well received by most of the brands’ customers.

Edward Chapman, director of Ed’s Team, said: “The anti-littering messages currently on packaging are far too small and are ineffective. This is recognised in the government’s recently released Strategy for Litter. However, there is no requirement for companies to do anything else. It is people who are responsible for littering, not brands, but those brands can use their marketing reach to influence behaviour. We want to make it very clear, via this campaign and others we have planned, that littering is totally unacceptable.”