TASK 2 (DISCUSS BOTH VIEWS): GOODS PACKAGING
Some people feel that manufacturers and supermarkets have the responsibility to reduce the amount of packaging of goods. Others argue that customers should avoid buying goods with a lot of packaging. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Sample Answer
Many posit that food producers and distributors should be at the forefront of reducing packaging, pioneering environmentally sustainable practices, while others highlight the pivotal role of shifting consumer behavior, underscoring individual initiatives in minimizing product packaging. This essay will elucidate both perspectives before stating my final thoughts on the efficacy of a concerted approach.
Advocates of holding food manufacturers and supermarkets solely accountable for curbing packaging cite corporate responsibility in sustaining public health and environmental preservation. Much of today’s food packaging, these proponents argue, is made of plastics, which can exert far-reaching negative health implications. Plastics, when stored under extreme temperatures—either too hot or too cold—can release toxic free radicals, thereby increasing the likelihood of chronic diseases, the most prominent of which is cancer. Since corporations benefit from public-generated sales supporting their products, public welfare should logically be high on their agenda. Alongside potential health risks, eco-friendliness is another point of emphasis. To remain relevant within increasingly competitive markets, companies should incorporate environmental stewardship into their industrial practices, and to this end, reducing product packaging can be key. Salient examples abound: since “Green Living” has become a buzzword in the retail world, enterprises with environmentally friendly approaches, characterized by minimal food wrapping, may receive enduring customer support.
On the other hand, those arguing in favor of consumer initiatives in packaging reduction point to the palpable impact of consumer behavior. Naturally, companies are heavily reliant on support from the masses, making shifting consumer mindsets a critical driving force in effecting large-scale changes. This has been evident in numerous supermarkets in the UK, including ASDA, Waitrose, and Tesco, which were compelled to drastically reduce product packaging and food wrapping in order to retain valuable consumers amid public uproar regarding accelerating plastic usage. Additionally, consumer pressure can influence businesses and also shape policy decisions, engaging governmental intervention in corporate activities. In essence, consumers have the right to elect officials who care deeply about the environmental status quo and the detrimental impact of plastic wrappings. By publicly showing resentment towards widespread packaging, they can even drive companies towards bankruptcy by boycotting enterprises with unsustainable practices.
In conclusion, while businesses have the moral imperative to ensure public health and the underlying motive to stay competitive in an increasingly eco-friendly market, the average person can drive large-scale changes through shifting consumer behavior, voting rights, and publicly voicing concerns. In my view, rather than eliminating packaging altogether—which could harm profitability—businesses can adopt more eco-friendly alternatives to traditional packaging, such as organic wrapping, natural leaves as food covers, and thin translucent plastics to avoid substantial impacts. Ultimately, packaging reduction should be achieved through a collective effort among all stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, and members of the public, thereby yielding a multifaceted and comprehensive approach.
Vocabulary
- forefront of reducing packaging – đi đầu trong việc giảm bao bì
- pioneering environmentally sustainable practices – tiên phong trong các thực hành bền vững môi trường
- pivotal role of shifting consumer behavior – vai trò then chốt của việc thay đổi hành vi người tiêu dùng
- individual initiatives in minimizing product packaging – sáng kiến cá nhân trong việc giảm thiểu bao bì sản phẩm
- elucidate both perspectives – làm sáng tỏ cả hai quan điểm
- efficacy of a concerted approach – hiệu quả của cách tiếp cận phối hợp
- curbing packaging – kiềm chế việc sử dụng bao bì
- corporate responsibility in sustaining public health – trách nhiệm doanh nghiệp trong việc duy trì sức khỏe cộng đồng
- environmental preservation – bảo tồn môi trường
- far-reaching negative health implications – hệ quả tiêu cực sâu rộng đối với sức khỏe
- toxic free radicals – gốc tự do độc hại
- chronic diseases – bệnh mãn tính
- public welfare should logically be high on their agenda – phúc lợi cộng đồng hợp lý nên là ưu tiên hàng đầu
- eco-friendliness is another point of emphasis – tính thân thiện môi trường là một điểm nhấn khác
- environmental stewardship into their industrial practices – quản lý môi trường trong hoạt động công nghiệp
- salient examples abound – có nhiều ví dụ nổi bật
- environmentally friendly approaches – cách tiếp cận thân thiện môi trường
- enduring customer support – sự ủng hộ lâu dài của khách hàng
- palpable impact of consumer behavior – tác động rõ rệt của hành vi người tiêu dùng
- shifting consumer mindsets a critical driving force – thay đổi tư duy người tiêu dùng là động lực quan trọng
- drastically reduce product packaging – giảm mạnh bao bì sản phẩm
- public uproar regarding accelerating plastic usage – sự phẫn nộ công chúng về việc gia tăng sử dụng nhựa
- consumer pressure can influence businesses and also shape policy decisions – áp lực từ người tiêu dùng có thể ảnh hưởng đến doanh nghiệp và định hình chính sách
- governmental intervention in corporate activities – sự can thiệp của chính phủ vào hoạt động doanh nghiệp
- multifaceted and comprehensive approach – cách tiếp cận đa chiều và toàn diện
