Today I sent this email to Sanitarium.  We are a big fan of Weet-Bix but now I have guilt over the fact that the box is lined with plastic.

Dear Sanitarium,

Like most good Kiwi kids, I was raised on Weet-Bix. I now have young children of my own and they love Weet-Bix too. I have just one concern: I am currently unable to purchase Weet-Bix without acquiring a non-recyclable plastic bag, the one that is used as a box liner.

This issue has arisen as I am undertaking an exercise to reduce my family’s waste, and especially of single-use plastic bags. With this goal in mind, placing a box of Weet-Bix in my trolley now comes with the guilt of knowing I’ll have to ‘throw away’ the plastic liner. And as you know, there is no ‘away’.

I understand the liner helps keep the product fresh: such is the case with much of today’s packaging.

It is also true that plastic, and non-recyclable plastic bags such as these, are the cause of much marine contamination and kill many birds, fish, and other wildlife, not to mention plastic therefore is finding its way into the food chain, of which we, as people, are a part. The long term implications of continuing on this path are frightening.

Placing a box of Weet-Bix in my trolley now comes with the guilt of knowing I’ll have to ‘throw away’ the plastic liner.

While I can see that there are many other single-use plastic bags out there that vastly outnumber those in Weet-Bix packets, the fact remains the ones in your product are plastic and cannot be recycled, so contribute to the greater environmental problem.

I am interested to know how Weet-Bix used to be packaged, prior to the advent of the ubiquitous plastic bag? Also is this product available in bulk somewhere so that I might fill my own container?
And finally, I’m keen to learn what your plans are to address non-recyclable packaging, are there any alternatives?

Thanks in advance for your consideration of this enquiry.

Kind regards,
Rochelle

If I gain Sanitarium’s permission, I will post their reply.
R