Two thirds of shoppers are baffled by recycling symbols

ALMOST two thirds of shoppers don’t understand the meaning of common recycling symbols found on everyday household products, a poll has found.

Researchers found eight key symbols appearing on thousands of supermarket items instructing buyers how to dispose of goods and packaging are not understood by 61 per cent of Britons.

It was found that the product symbol that baffles people the most is the symbol “alu”, meaning the product has been created from recyclable aluminium with 88 per cent failing to understand it.

A wavy green arrow symbol that indicates the manufacturers of products bearing the symbol have made a financial contribution towards the recycling of packaging was not understood by 83 per cent. The triangle-shaped plastics symbols that show what type of plastic a product is made from was not understood by 79 per cent and a black treeshaped symbol containing the letters FSE for Forest Stewardship Council, meaning a product has been made from responsibly sourced wood, was also not understood by 79 per cent.

Saveonenergy.com asked 2,300 UK adults which of the eight product symbols they understood.

Linda Dodge, of the site, said: “Symbols are put on items so consumers know what to do with them.

“However, it seems they may be adding to the confusion with this study showing more than half of us don’t know what most of the signs stand for.

“It would suggest we need to teach these symbols more widely in schools and workplaces for us all to live in a better and sustainable planet.”