Litter Pickers Unearth 34-Year-Old Crisp Packet

During a clean-up at a nature reserve, litter pickers discovered a crisp packet that had been in the environment for 34 years. Although the contents of the crumpled Walkers ready salted bag were no longer intact, the wrapper itself had remained well-preserved. The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust found the empty packet, which originated from 1990, during a clear-up operation at Loughborough’s Big Meadow. The trust subsequently shared this find on social media, noting the significant advancements in sustainability made by the Leicester-based crisp manufacturer over the intervening decades. The trust also included a message, stating: “Remember to take litter home with you, don’t leave it for the wildlife.” This finding is not an isolated incident, as litter pickers have previously encountered crisp packets dating back several decades. For instance, a 50-year-old Quavers packet was discovered in a back garden in Poole, Dorset, in May, and a Smiths crisps packet from 1977, featuring a Kevin Keegan promotion, was located on a Cornish beach in 2023. Walkers, currently owned by PepsiCo, issued a statement through a company spokesperson in May, who commented: “We recognise that litter is a huge problem, and we want to play a role in addressing this challenge.” The spokesperson further added: “That’s why we’ve been supporting the Great British Spring Clean for the past six years, with our teams joining efforts to clean up local communities.” They also stated: “We’re also continuing to invest heavily to make our packaging more easily recyclable, as well as reducing the plastic packaging we use.”