Crisp packet from 1968 found by litter pickers

28 March 2023

News image — The empty packet of roast chicken crisps is 55 years old

Rubbish Walks Old crisp packet — The empty packet of roast chicken crisps is 55 years old

The 55-year-old empty crisp packet was found by litter pickers under a tree
It featured a competition to win a trip to the Mexico Olympics
Most of the writing can still be read on the 1968 plastic bag
Litter pickers urged people to "do the right thing" and put waste in a bin

Litter pickers were astonished to find a plastic crisp packet dating from 1968 that was still almost intact.

The 55-year-old empty Golden Wonder bag of roast chicken flavoured crisps had a pre-decimal price of 6d and a competition on the back to win a trip to the Mexico Olympics.

It was found by litter pickers in Kesgrave, Suffolk, last week.

Jason Alexander, who led the group, said although they collect litter regularly they were "astonished to find something that has been here for decades".

Much of the writing on the faded bag can still be read years after it was discarded - including details of the competition to win a trip to the Olympics which were held in Mexico City in October 1968.

It was the oldest piece of litter Mr Alexander's group found on their latest pick.

He describes himself as a "serial litter picker" and is the founder of Rubbish Walks, a social enterprise which aims to raise "awareness about the issues of litter, single-use plastics and waste in general" in Suffolk and beyond.

Rubbish Walks Woman holding an old crisp packet — Litter-picking volunteer Meryl Smith holds the old bag aloft

He also runs the Vintage Litter Museum, a virtual collection of items found during litter picks, and river or beach clean-ups, which can be clearly identifiable as having been produced or littered since the 1900s.

"I have all of the items in my museum and about half of those have been put online," Mr Alexander said.

He has about 400 items but said the chicken crisps find was probably the oldest snack bag in the collection - so far.

Rubbish Walks Back of an old crisp packet — On the back of the packet is a competition to win a trip to the 1968 Mexico City Olympics

Mr Alexander added: "We've litter-picked with the Kesgrave Wombles in this area countless times and yet we still come across items like this have been on the ground for decades.

"It's a mixture of disbelief, and 'oh, here we go again', as we find things we've missed.

"I'd urge people to do the right thing - put your litter in the bin."