Europe’s ambition to be less wasteful just ran into a coronavirus crisis reality check.

One month after the European Commission launched an ambitious package to move from a throwaway culture to a more circular economy, the pandemic is creating mountains of plastic litter and tons of rotting food.

“People are now more focusing on the hygienic and long-life aspects when it comes to foods and vegetables,” Mara Hancker, managing director of the German lobby for plastic packaging, said over the phone, adding that “people don’t have faith anymore in these products without the packaging.”

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