Hi, Team. I handed the letter into Tesco to an assistant to the manager. Very well received. We are on for next Saturday!

Here's the letter I'm taking to Tesco tomorrow. Send good thoughts and prayers for a good reception.
Dear Supermarket Manager,
As you might remember, the Sick of Plastic Campaign successfully mobilized 1000’s of shoppers in a nationwide ‘Shop and Drop’ day of action for Earth Day 2018.
The day proved hugely successful with lots of media reporting the story and an overall positive response from supermarkets. Many supermarkets have taken some actions to reduce plastic packaging, but we feel there is much more that needs to be done.
We are writing to let you know that we will very soon be taking another action on plastic in your supermarket. Our local Sick of Plastic group are calling on the local community to join us in this Day of Action. Again, we will be encouraging shoppers to leave their unwanted plastic packaging.
As concerned members of the public, who shop at your supermarket, we have reached a tipping point. We know the impact plastic is having on our health and our natural environment, we can no longer sit by and do nothing. The time for action is now.
Despite introducing the plastic bag tax back in 2002, we’re taking more plastic packaging home (in our reusable shopping bags) than ever! We simply do not need this amount of plastic – only a few decades ago we got by without this material.
What’s more, much of this plastic is not even recyclable! Soft plastic is designed for one short use and much of it ends in wildlife habitats where it takes hundreds of years to decompose.
You may be members of Repak and pay fees for the recycling of packaging placed on the marketplace. But as mentioned already, soft plastic packaging cannot be recycled and the tide of plastic is rising so we need you on board to break free from plastic!
Here is a list of things you we would like you to do;
1. Offer more items without packaging, such as fruit and vegetables (without plastic trays, wrapping and nets).
2. Make your own-brand packaging easily compostable or recyclable, and use less plastic.
3. Demand, through your purchasing power, that other brands you carry have easily compostable or recyclable packaging, and use less plastic.
4. Blaze a trail in Ireland by implementing a plastic free aisle, as has been done in the Netherlands.
5. Provide items in bulk, where possible, to reduce packaging.
6. Allow shoppers use their own containers, buying only what they need.

To make this easy for both your staff and customers, we would suggest you create a designated area for people to leave their plastic packaging to avoid disruption.
We do not intend to cause trouble, we promise to be civil and friendly and to ensure no inconvenience is caused to your staff or customers.
Sincerely,
Local organiser name: Miranda O’Donnell, Sligo Environmental Network Sick of Plastic Team Leader
Local organiser contact details: 085 7633705 [email protected]

Date of supermarket action: Saturday, 13th April.

Thanks to all who came to the meeting today and signed up to take action on 13th April at Tesco. Please consider making a plastic covered hat or sandwich board, or even an old shirt with plastic attached with thread and needle. Placards and signs welcome, as well. We want to be noticed! I will post the sign up schedule. Anyone who wants to support for an hour or more is welcome. I will deliver the letter to the manager of Tesco tomorrow, and report back to you about how it was received.

Hi, Team,
Hope to see everyone tomorrow at 4:30 at Southern Hotel. I will make a sign up sheet for the Day of Action. People can commit to one or more hours at the store. If we all agree on Tesco, I propose a four-hour action, from 11 to 3. We can discuss everything tomorrow. I will need to deliver the letter to the store this weekend.
See you tomorrow.

Hi Miranda and team,
I went into Aldi yesterday but found it quite hard to fill in the audit. The rating is very subjective and really in comparison with other shops, isn't it? And in comparison with last year? Also some of the questions were not applicable to Aldi as they don't have much fresh produce. So I'm hesitant to give it a score in terms of the star rating but here are some observations: They do offer some loose fruit and veg now. Also things like organic mushrooms in a non-plastic tray... Some drinks in glass bottles. But overall there is a lot more potential. Not sure anymore if Lidl and Aldi are much different.
The fact that Dunnes were hostile last year would make me think that we need to attack them all the more. But maybe not this time round next week but in the future.
Sorry for being so vague.

Hi, Team
I did the supermarket audit at Dunnes on Sunday. I was pleasantly surprised. They were the worst last year, but have improved significantly since then. I counted 25 fruits and vegs offered without packaging. Their fresh bakery section offered paper bags. I asked, and was given a greaseproof paper bag for a meat purchase, and they have paper packaging for their fresh fish. Of course, there is room for improvement, but they scored higher than Tesco. Dunnes got 13 out of 30 stars, and Tesco only got 7 out of 30.
Has anyone done Aldi and Lidl yet?
I'm thinking that our target supermarket on the day should be Tesco, and possibly Aldi if we find they score lower than Lidl.
Please respond with your opinions.
Thanks.

Sligo FRC's Intercultural Project ran an Intercultural Event on Paddy's Day using all recyclable/compostable products - so yes it can be done - it was a little bit more expensive - but worth it!