IELTS Essay about Consumer goods packaging

IELTS WRITING TASK 2

Some people say that supermarkets and manufacturers should reduce the amount of products which include lot of packaging. Others say that we should be responsible and avoid the products which have a lot of packaging.
Discuss both the views and give your opinion.
You should spend 40 minutes on this topic

Sample Answer

Large quantities of plastics are used in various forms in the packaging industry. Some sections of society believe that companies should limit the amount of plastics being used while others believe that individuals can make a difference by saying no to goods that require a lot of packaging. In the given paragraphs, I will discuss both the views before giving my opinion.

On one hand, manufacturing units should be made aware of the harmful effects of using packaging material on the environment. Plastic is the leading cause of pollution and the fact that it takes thousands of years to fully degrade in itself explains why its use should be regulated. The world is already witnessing environmental degradation and plastic is undoubtedly a major contributor. Majority of the plastic ends up in the world’s oceans and it has had detrimental effects on the marine life. From affecting the ecosystem to being responsible for extinction of species, we can say that, the effects of plastics on our environment are anything but positive.

On the other hand, consumers should take matters into their own hands and reduce the consumption of products which require more packaging. Moreover, less demands for such products will directly result in limited manufacturing and reduced sales. The use of plastics will also curtail significantly. Certainly, this will not only compel supermarkets and industries but also encourage them to make changes in their packaging policy.

To sum up, companies and individuals both are equally responsible for the excessive usage of plastics.  Users should be made aware of the catastrophic effects of this artificial material and statutory warning should be displayed on all such kinds of products. Manufacturers must also look for suitable alternatives. Limiting plastic consumption is the need of the hour and effective steps must be taken to curb this menace.