This Earth Day, the pan-European consumer movement Friends of Glass is calling on brands to make the switch back to glass.

The move comes after a new survey shows that shoppers are reporting that their favourite brands have started using less glass packaging

The independent survey of more than 10,000 consumers across 13 European countries, found that in the UK, 32% could no longer choose to buy their regular shopping favourites in glass.

However, despite this drop in availability of popular products in glass, the same survey showed that 57% of consumers in the UK still prefer glass because of its superior environmental credentials.

Victoria Adams, Senior Communications Officer at British Glass, which manages Friends of Glass in the UK, said: “While it is disappointing to see a shift away from glass by certain brands, the survey confirms that glass continues to enjoy the strong support of the consumer, who recognise it as one of the most sustainable forms of packaging.

“Not only is glass infinitely recyclable without a drop in quality, recycled glass is also a vital resource for making new bottles and jars, helping to reduce CO2 emissions and raw material use”.

According to the survey, the environmental impact of packaging is seen as an important decision driver in food and beverage purchases across Europe, with the majority of consumers (3 in 4) ‘highly concerned’ about littering of food containers and 1 in 3 respondents citing this as their most important consideration.

At the same time, 46% of Europeans state that they have significantly decreased their consumption of plastic to prevent littering in the environment.

Glass consistently scores as the most environmentally-friendly packaging material too: overwhelmingly, it comes out on top in addressing contamination and environmental issues, particularly when it comes to avoiding food littering (43%), avoiding packaging waste (43%) and addressing climate change (48%).