The environmental nonprofit group As You Sow has seen success as it pushes companies to improve their sustainability.
The group has been involved in pushes for resin suppliers to report spills, in getting Taco Bell and KFC owner Yum Brands to ditch expanded polystyrene and prompting Starbucks to seek more recyclable or reusable cups.
Now it has filed shareholder proposals with 10 consumer goods companies and retailers calling for "commitments to absolute cuts in use of plastic packaging."
The proposals were filed with Amazon.com, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., KraftHeinz Co., Kroger Co., McDonalds Corp., Mondelez International Inc., PepsiCo, Restaurant Brands International, Target Corp., and Walmart Inc. Restaurant Brands International is a Canadian company that owns Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeye brands.
Merely encouraging recycling doesn't go far enough, As You Sow said in a news release. The companies also need to reduce demand for plastics.
The shareholder proposals ask each company to "estimate how much of its plastic packaging leaks into the environment, describe strategies or goals to reduce use of plastic packaging, and evaluate opportunities for dramatic reductions in plastics used for packaging."