Efforts to reduce overpackaging of Asian ingredients in Australia

Big retailers have a major role to play in reducing the amount of packaging waste in Australia. But small and medium-sized businesses can make a difference too.

This Indian grocery store is trying to source more thoughtfully packaged goods from India Source: SBS

At the India Bazaar grocery store in Dandenong, in Melbourne's south-east, shelves are laden with goods.

Bags of rice, lentils and beans; an assortment of colourful spices.

In the freezer, there are packets of naan, paratha and samosas.

Much of what's on offer is packaged in plastic, and that concerns trader Gurjot Singh.

"I'd say about 95 per cent would be the plastic package. And then the rest five would be some sort of cardboard. I think very rarely we get anything such as a biodegradable box for Asian groceries."

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