Most British people are still happy to purchase disposable plastic bottles of water, and only a third of the population drink from reusable bottles when out and about.

These findings emerged from a survey in which people were asked about their attitudes to plastic waste and water consumption.

They run contrary to the increased awareness of plastic pollution that appears to have pervaded the nation.

The results were based on a YouGov survey of more than 2000 people conducted for Keep Britain Tidy in the wake of the BBC’s screening of Blue Planet II.

Bringing heartbreaking scenes of the impact of plastic pollution on marine life into the nation’s living rooms, the Sir David Attenborough-fronted show was the most watched television programme in 2017.

In its wake has come a raft of highly publicised measures to tackle the “scourge” of plastic pollution – including the recent announcement of a bottle deposit return scheme and the government’s pledge to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042.

However, despite media coverage and local initiatives across the country to deal with plastic waste, the survey suggests there is still a lag in the nation’s behaviour change.

Social experiment documents how kids react to plastic pollution

In all, only 44 per cent of those surveyed admitted to feeling bad for the environment if they bought bottled water, and a fifth still purchased bottled water to use at home.

Lack of access to water at transport hubs like airports and bus stations was highlighted as a major problem by participants, as many said they relied on bottled water when starting long journeys.

The survey revealed people generally blame inconvenience or forgetfulness for their over-reliance on disposable plastic bottles, and suggested a major cultural shift will be required to cut down on numbers.

“There has been encouraging progress in the past year to address litter levels from single-use plastic, but this report demonstrates that we are not there yet,” said Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton.

“Too many people still find it challenging to fill up on the go, while many more are still embarrassed to ask for tap, worried about the safety of water fountains, or just unwilling to go the extra mile and carry around a reusable bottle.

Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Show all 6 1 /6 Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Plastic water bottle for a reusable beverage container Instead of continually buying drinks in plastic bottles you can switch to a reusable beverage container and reduce your single-use of plastics. Selfridges' Bobble 550ml filtered water bottle costs £12.95 and includes a replaceable carbon filter that filters water as you drink, removing chlorine and organic contaminants in the process. You can buy it from selfridges.com Getty/Selfridges Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Coffee cup for a Travel coffee mug It is estimated that the UK throws away around 2.5bn disposable coffee cups a year and almost all are incinerated, exported or sent to landfill because their plastic lining makes them expensive to recycle. The new Latte Levy in the UK means there will now be a 25p charge on every disposable coffee cup bought by consumers. Pret A Manger announced that it will double its discount to 50p in an effort to reduce waste. By swapping to a reusable cup you will be able to help cut the cost of disposable coffee cups. This Keep Cup Brew, cork edition, travel cup in Fika is just one of the many available to purchase. It fits under most commercial coffee machines, is splash-proof and ideal for transporting your coffee whilst on the go. You can buy this particular cup for £19.99 from trouva.com. Getty/Trouva Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Plastic bags for reusable cloth bags An eco-friendly alternative to an ordinary plastic bag is this lightweight shopping bag. It comes with a practical pillowcase pocket and features a black and white ink splatter design. Convenient and durable it also has a matte black spring clip to attach it where you need it. You can buy this from paperchase.co.uk for just £5.00. Getty/Paperchase Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Coffee pods for a pot of coffee Cut your plastic coffee pod usage with a cafetiere. This Barista and Co, 3 Cup Gold Cafetiere, from Habitat offers a simple way to brew and serve in style. Made from borosilicate glass and plated stainless steel with an ergonomically designed handle, the cafetiere is built to last and a pleasure to use; a fine metal filter produces a smooth coffee that retains its natural oils. You can buy it for £30 from habitat.co.uk. Getty/Habitat Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Balloons for eco-friendly decorations Instead of using plastic balloons at your party try swapping them for some eco-friendly bunting. Handmade in Scotland, the bunting comprises thirteen brightly coloured pennants which spell out the words 'Happy Birthday', and uses lettering that has been printed onto 100 per cent recycled card. Included is 11ft of natural jute twine to hang the pennants on, and everything comes packaged in a cello bag. You can buy this bunting from Little Silverleaf on notonthehighstreet.com for £12.50. Getty/notonthehighstreet Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Plastic straw for a reusable bamboo one Swap plastic straws for reusable ones made of bamboo. These straws are handmade in Bali and crafted by local balinese artisans. Made of organic and natural materials they are the best eco-friendly alternative to plastic, steel or glass straws. You can purchase them from Bali Boo on Amazon.co.uk for £13.99. PA/Bali Boo/Amazon

“We’ve simply got to get to a situation where topping up in glass or refillable bottle is the norm.”

The research, which is being launched in parliament today, is part of a wider campaign by water filter company Brita in association with Keep Britain Tidy that aims to help eradicate the use of single-use plastic bottles.

“The damage single-use plastic is doing to our marine and wider environment and marine life has been well documented, and it is clear many people are committed to tackling this,” said Sarah Taylor, managing director of Brita UK.

“At the same time, this research shows that old habits are ingrained and that often the ‘hassle factor’ outweighs concern about the environment.”

The campaign’s goal is to encourage people to make small lifestyle changes that can have a significant impact on the environment.