An independent nationwide survey* conducted on behalf of SodaStream has revealed 72% of New Zealanders think there should be regulations or laws for single-use plastic bottles in order to reduce plastic pollution.
Mark Stephenson from SodaStream says it’s positive that such a big portion of the population supports steps being taken to reduce single-use plastic waste.
“This just goes to show what a difference we could make... Interestingly, the survey showed that if bottled water became less socially acceptable - like what is happening with smoking - that would deter around three quarters of people from buying it, especially within the younger generation.
“There’s a perception that recycling is a good choice and while that is better than nothing, it’s much more powerful to avoid buying single use plastic in the first place,” says Stephenson.
“However, this survey has revealed just how many Kiwis would be willing to completely give up buying plastic bottles in order to protect our oceans and end the age of throwaway plastic. With around five trillion pieces of plastic currently floating in our oceans and harming marine life, this is a great result.”
*A nationally representative independent online survey of 500 New Zealanders aged 18+ was conducted by Pureprofile in July 2017.