Royal Mail has been forced to step in and ask customers to stop posting empty crisp packets. Green campaigners have urged people to send the bags back to manufacturer Walkers as a form of protest against the packets being non-recyclable. Customers were also told to 'flood Walkers' social media with pictures of us popping them in the post' along with the hashtag #PacketinWalkers.Royal Mail is obliged by law to deliver the bags to Walkers, but as the packets cannot go through its machines they must be sorted by hand by workers. It called on campaigners to refrain from posting the empty packets into postal boxes, asking that they be 'properly packaged' in an envelope beforehand. More than 300,000 signed a petition by campaign group 38 Degrees calling on Walkers to improve on its target of creating recyclable packets by 2025. The British manufacturer currently produces in the region of 11million new packets each day.
A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: 'If an item is addressed properly and carries the correct postage then Royal Mail is obliged by law to handle and deliver the item to the stated address.' We strongly encourage customers not to post anything into the postal system which is not properly packaged. And if they are taking part in this campaign we would urge them to put crisp packets in an envelope before posting.' Customers can obtain advice from any Post Office branch on packaging and restrictions. Anyone posting items which are not properly packaged could find they are delayed or taken out of the postal system.' There are national and international regulations governing the carriage of mail. Customers should check the terms and conditions and packaging requirements for items sent through the post to ensure they are delivered safely and securely.' Packets can't go through the machines, they are not normal mail items, therefore, my hardworking colleagues need to manually sort them, which adds to the time.' Cathy Warren, campaigner at 38 Degrees said: 'Royal Mail has asked people to use envelopes when posting crisp packets and we will update the thousands of Walkers' customers who are taking part.' Up and down the country, people are telling Walkers to step up when it comes to plastic waste.' Walkers produce a staggering 7,000 plastic crisp packets a minute which they don't pay a penny to clean up. They need to listen to their customers and take action now.
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