Consumed How Big Brands Got Us Hooked on Plastic

"This book will change the way you see the world and could change the world itself. It reads like a thriller, full of stories and facts that would be beyond belief if it wasn't for the exceptional and rigorous journalism throughout. This is a very rare and important book, and it's also really, really funny. You will not be able to put it down"
– Chris van Tulleken, bestselling author of Ultra-Processed People

"This eye-popping, engaging and rigorous book lifts the lid on the huge and rapidly rising cost of plastic in our lives. It exposes the pivotal role that deception has played over the decades through well-funded lobbying of government and deliberate misinforming of consumers. The human stories of people trying to do the right thing, or of convincing themselves their industry is not as bad as it seems, are as compassionate as they are critical. There are others, of course, who put short-term profit blatantly above human and planetary health – Consumed gives us the good, the bad and the ugly of our plastic history. With global plastic consumption and waste forecast to triple by 2060, this timely book calls for a much-needed reset on plastic and lays bare the myths of a recycling future. This book is for anyone who cares about the health of people or planet, and wants to know what to do"
– Mike Berners-Lee, author of A Climate of Truth and There is No Planet B

"If you're a CEO in an industrial complex like Big Plastic, you'd better hope that Saabira Chaudhuri doesn't turn her interest your way. As she does in Consumed, she'll pry loose your playbook and lay bare the strategy that's common to so many companies that sell us goods with huge hidden costs: the denial, the delay, the pretence of giving in, with some secretly funded science to confuse us all (her chapter on throw-away diapers is a gem). A must read for anyone who buys anything plastic"
– Michael Moss, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Salt, Sugar, Fat

"Consumed examines the rise and rise of plastic consumption – our addiction to the material as users, and the role big business plays as pusher. Chaudhuri's book is convincing and expertly written, driven by impressively deep research and a sharp understanding of how plastic consumption illuminates many of the bigger issues that underpin consumer behaviour, from widespread greed to a convenience-above-all mentality that often trumps safety and environmental awareness. An important and engaging read"
– Adam Alter, bestselling author of Irresistible and Anatomy of a Breakthrough

"Consumed tells the terrifying tale of how we wrapped our world in plastic. Knowing plastic resides inside us and most other living creatures is deeply disturbing but I am grateful to learn how we got here. Consumed explains how slick advertising played a crucial role in the plastics revolution, convincing us to ditch refillable glass bottles, discard washable linen diapers and insist on food wrapped in film. We also fell for the deceitfully reassuring lie of recycling – a tale Consumed tells in dramatic detail. The only real antidote to this plastic plague is a truthful tale told well enough to supercharge our desire to do something about it. Consumed achieves this feat admirably."
– Simon Clark, author of The Key Man

"Fantastic reporting! This book will entertain you even as it raises your blood pressure – and hopefully it will move you to join the movement to rein in this kind of reckless nonsense!"
– Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature

"Consumed is a fascinating and timely book that sheds light on the dirty truth about our use of plastics. Chaudhuri is a deft storyteller, a thorough researcher and a tenacious reporter. Here, she proves to be a compelling and convincing guide to a critical corner of the global environment. Her book should be read by policymakers, corporate titans and anyone with an interest in the future health of our planet"
– Duncan Mavin, author of Pyramid of Lies and Meltdown