Turning Up the Pressure on the Dirty Dozen

Our Plastic Free Communities have been calling out the biggest polluting brands on social media with #ReturnToOffender, tagging brands they see during in the communities and demanding they take responsibility for the plastic they produce. But we refuse to let business continue as usual; and that’s why we’re taking the message directly to the brands with the next wave of action with #ReturnToOffender.

Why are we putting on the pressure?

Big Brands are fueling the plastic crisis. In 2025, the SAS Brand Audit Report found just 12 global companies accounted for 65% of the branded waste collected from beaches, rivers, parks and streets. The report found ambition to tackle the issue has stalled, while plastic use continues to rise. The result? Plastic pollution pouring into the environment, and communities left picking up the pieces.

Our brilliant Plastic Free Communities are creating long lasting change in their communities, by tackling plastic right at the source, driving plastic reduction and system change from the ground up. BUT…with ever increasing plastic production, we also need the biggest brands to step up and turn the tap off.

It’s not all about litter bugs

For too long, big oil and big companies have profited over overproduction of single-use plastic, and one in ten barrels of oil is made into plastic. Over production is fuelling the climate crisis and lining billionaire pockets.

While littering can be a problem, the real issue lies much further up. Big oil, plastic manufacturers, to big brands, retailers and supermarkets who sell and push single-use plastic, have all passed the responsibility unfairly to us.

Products have been deliberately designed to be discarded to maximise profit, knowing that local councils and communities will clear up the mess. When faced with a waterfall of waste, its inevitable that some is going to end up polluting our environment. And that’s not our fault.

And we can’t recycle our way out of the problem either, our waste management systems are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of single-use plastic being produced.  The 2026 Big Plastic Count showed recycling cannot keep pace with production, and only 16% of our plastic waste is actually recycled, the rest being burned, sent to landfill or exported overseas.

The report also found 82% of the plastic counted was from food & drink packaging. Can you see any similarities with the exposed Dirty Dozen brands below?

We all have the power to demand change, and that’s why we are calling out the brands directly through #ReturnToOffender.

We are demanding that the Dirty Dozen must:

1. Achieve absolute reductions in plastic use
2. Dramatically scale up reuse and refill systems
3. Ensure full transparency and accountability
4. Support and advocate for strong environmental regulation

It’s time to crack down on those profiting from pollution. It’s time to #ReturnToOffender

Here’s how to get involved 👇

1. Pick your Brand
2. Find the brand contacts details on the Email the Brands Webpage
3. Use the Brand Letter Templates or write your own message

You can also continue to call out branded pollution you find by using #ReturnToOffender on your socials, and don’t forget to tag @surfersagainstsewage too.

Email the Brand with #ReturnToOffender