PPiPL Resources

Resources from our research in UK and Malaysia

Consumer, industry and policy engagement

White paper reports

These reports outline our findings from the PPiPL project and offer recommendations to help reduce the UK’s plastic usage and contribute towards the UK’s Plastics Pact goals. A total of 552 people and 91 organisations were involved in the research via interviews with consumers and households, workshops, supply chain companies and waste management facility visits.

Once you have read our reports, the team would love to hear what insights you’ve gained, the emotions they have sparked, and how they may inspire you to make a difference. Share your thoughts with us by completing this survey, and you will help us to continue to improve and learn about how best to achieve change.

Malaysia Pilot: Household and Waste Management Practices

Plastics play a critical role in society and the economy in Malaysia. Plastic pollution has sparked debate about waste management, its environmental impact, and health consequences.

The Malaysian Plastic Sustainability Roadmap (MPSR) 2021-2030 was developed to support the phasing out of unnecessary single-use packaging, recyclability and reusability, improve recycling collection rates, and meet food-grade recycled polyethylene terephthalate (halal rPET) standards by the end of the decade. The twelve-month pilot project explored household and waste management practices in Malaysia.

2025 | ICP Report - International Communication Platform for Food Plastic Packaging Report

The International Communication Platform (ICP), created under the PPiPL initiative, serves as a comprehensive knowledge exchange platform addressing challenges in plastic packaging, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and sustainability.

Malaysia discussions highlighted three barriers to reducing single-use plastic packaging: behavioural resistance, infrastructure limitations, and inconsistent policies. UK discussions focused on implementation challenges and infrastructure requirements, noting persistent disconnects between regulatory intent and consumer behaviour.

Download the 2025 ICP report (PDF 1MB)

Fifty Four Degrees: Not the enemy

In this edition of the Management School magazine, marketing and supply chain experts, local council and retail partners, scientists, and the PPiPL project leaders present their findings on consumer attitudes and behaviours around plastic packaging and recycling and their hopes for the future. 

Piles of plastic packaging, with brightly coloured splashes

  • A multimedia overview of the role of plastic packaging in our everyday life

  • 54 Degrees (Issue 14)

    A panoramic of research insights about single-use plastics in our society

  • PPiPL Knowledge Exchange Event 2021

    Read about the PPiPL's first Knowledge Exchange Event, "Responsibility and Plastic Packaging: Exploring the issues for the packaging supply chain"

  • What Matters Now: A Pressing Plastic Problem

    Part of LUMS' series of public seminars addressing the big issues facing society and business that ran in 2022 and links to 54 Degrees Issue 14

Media

  • Find out how PPiPL works with packaging manufacturers and retailers can help improve consumer behaviour towards plastics

  • Researchers from 糖心视频 and Sunway University in Malaysia are exploring plastic packaging consumption and disposal within Malaysian households and recycling agencies

  • Pilot project in collaboration with Lancaster City Council

  • LUMS supports and incentivises impact projects that mobilise diverse stakeholders, such as policymakers, civic society and academia. The PPiPL project is a recent and relevant example of LUMS’ commitment and impact agenda.

  • On September 23rd, 2021, the PPiPL project presented its first Knowledge Exchange Event, "Responsibility and Plastic Packaging: Exploring issues for the packaging supply chain".

  • During this episode of the LUMS series 'What Matters Now', PPiPL researchers and industry experts discuss the challenges and opportunities of plastic packaging.

  • Pilot Project Malaysia infographic

    These infographics showcase the PPiPL Pilot Project in Malaysia in collaboration with Sunway University.

  • Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge - Enabling Research Programme Event.

  • Infographic summarising the Plastic Packaging in People's Lives Malaysia Pilot.

  • Infographic summarising the UKRI NERC funded Plastic Packaging in People's Lives: Rethinking the Consumer Attitude Behaviour Gap project.

Radio Talk - BBC Radio Cumbria Breakfast Show

Littering is often framed as an issue of individual behaviour — but in reality it is a systemic challenge shaped by how products are designed, used, and disposed of.

Listen to our radio talk (segment 2:20:01)

PPiPL in the Transforming Tomorrow podcast

The Transforming Tomorrow podcast guides you through the complex, ever-changing and often exciting world of sustainability in business. Alongside members of the Pentland Centre, academic experts, and business leaders, the podcast covers the theory and practice of mainstreaming social and environmental sustainability into purposeful business strategy and performance.

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Academic Publications

  • Critical insights from our researchers regarding the role of plastics in today's consumer culture. Consumption, Market and Cultural - Issue 25, 2022

  • A special issue run by our researchers that gathers a set of papers to highlight some of the challenges and opportunities in implementing solutions to support a circular economy for plastics.

  • This chapter explores the paradox of plastic food packaging, weighing its benefits against environmental harms, and calls for collaborative, innovative, and policy-driven approaches to develop sustainable packaging solutions.

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