Dutch supermarkets are gradually banning plastic from their stores. That is good news. It's really something from the last decades. Our (grand)parents hardly bought pre-packed vegetables, fruit or meat. Is the ban on supermarket plastic a hype, a trend or an issue?

In the book “Issue thinking, real bosses make impact”, published last year, the founders of De Issuemakers show that the differences are subtle and sometimes difficult to distinguish. A hype is often a short-lived wave of publicity about a unique event. A hype often arises very suddenly and usually fades into the background within a few hours or a few days. Hypes can expose underlying issues or bring them back to attention. Hypes are therefore an important element in putting an issue on the agenda.

A trend has a less short-lived character. A trend often concerns a long-term development in a specific period, caused by, for example, economic or social factors. The interesting thing about a trend is that - unlike an issue - there is no conflicting interests or a search for a solution. However, issues and trends do belong together. Issues often arise from a trend and support or reinforce it. Issues are based on trends. One trend is climate change, the use of plastic in the supermarket - and of course the reduction of it - is one of the issues that plays a role.

Issues can actually best be described as topics that are central to politics and society. Issues are often topics that evoke emotions and in which people feel strongly involved. An issue can therefore be both positive and negative. An issue has a major impact on society, a person or the reputation of an organization. In 2015, Boyan Slat won the Issue Award for his Ocean Cleanup movement. It is now four years later. And while Boyan and his people are currently trying to clean the ocean, supermarkets are now going a step further. After all, plastic banned from supermarkets does not ultimately have to be cleaned up.