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Halloween: Supermarkets tell us they're trying to reduce plastic used

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Children with pumpkins.Image source, Getty Images

Is your supermarket full of Halloween decorations? Fancy dress costumes, lights and pumpkins - so much of it is made from plastic and some of it is impossible to recycle.

We've been in touch with the UK's biggest supermarkets to find out what they're doing to cut down on the horrifying amount of plastic that's clogging up the aisles.

Plus you've sent us your spooktacular top tips on how to enjoy a plastic-free Halloween.

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WATCH: Ricky investigates how much plastic is used at Halloween

A recent study suggests Halloween costumes being sold by some of the UK's biggest retailers contain the same amount of plastic as over 80 million plastic bottles. That's a lot of plastic!

Lots of you have told Newsround that you're trying to use fewer plastic bottles and you want to recycle more to protect the environment.

Image source, Getty Images
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Shops are full of Halloween decorations all around the world!

We put some of your concerns about plastic to the people in charge of the UK's top supermarkets like Tesco and Sainsbury's.

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We contacted some of the biggest supermarkets in the UK.

A spokesperson from Sainsbury's told us: "Our Halloween range is designed to be reused and enjoyed for many years,"

They added: "we are currently exploring sustainable alternatives."

"Our Halloween range is designed to be reused and enjoyed for many years. That said, we are currently exploring sustainable alternatives."

— Sainsbury's

Asda told Newsround they're committed to tackling plastic pollution all year round, not just at Halloween.

They said: "We've already removed 6,500 tonnes of plastic - equivalent to 600 million plastic bottles - from our own brand products in the last year,"

A spokesperson for the supermarket added: "we really value the opinions of children and young people when it comes to solving the problem of plastic."

Tesco said this year they've moved away from plastics to alternative materials wherever possible.

"Where plastic features, we have manufactured it to ensure products can be re-used many time."

— Tesco

A spokesperson from Tesco said: "This year we have used fabric Trick or Treat buckets and sustainably sourced paper based tableware. Where plastic features, we have manufactured it to ensure products can be re-used many time."

Aldi didn't respond to our request for an interview.