Canadian living in Scotland questions how UK is a 'developed country' over 'disgusting British habit'

Daily Mail​

15-07-2025

A Canadian living in the UK has said he is disgusted by a common British habit that has led him to question Britain's status as a 'developed country'.
Taking to Reddit, the disgruntled expat detailed how he had moved to Glasgow from Canada, and now calls the Scottish city 'home'.
But despite his love for the area, he said there is one 'absolutely shocking' aspect of British life which he finds disgusting.
He wrote: 'Okay, I am a Canadian who has made Glasgow home.
'It's absolutely shocking for me the amount of litter I see here, considering this is supposed to be a developed country.
'Also, there is so much broken glass that I can only imagine what dog owners go through while doing something as simple as walking their dog.
'And this is not a city issue, I have gone walking on remote trails where I see litter - so it's not really a wind issue, it's a people issue.
'You cannot hire enough people to clean the streets if people think it's okay to litter.
'I have been on the road and seen people in front of me driving, rolling down their windows and dropping their litter on the road in broad daylight. Just why?'
The post quickly gained traction and racked up hundreds of comments.
The majority of responders were similarly fed up, with many placing the blame on locals who believe litter-picking is the responsibility of the council.
One person wrote: 'A lot of people here think it's purely the council's responsibility to clean up after them.'
Another said: 'There used to be a guy here that would arrange litter picks.
'Last time I heard he'd stopped after seeing the places they'd just spent days cleaning in the same state as before.'
A third echoed the sentiment, saying: 'It's depressing if you pick up litter, you go to the same spot the next day and it's just filled up again.'
Other Glasgow locals said they had been using the local council app to raise the alarm about particularly dirty areas, to no avail.
One said: 'I've been using the GCC app to report littering at an underpass near me, every time they've come along and cleaned it within 24-48 hours and, right after, it's a mess again.
'No wonder the council has given up as well.'
Of the avid litter-pickers taking an interest in their community, many reported they had simply given up after feeling they were fighting a losing battle.
'It's pretty demoralising, I still do my one area but mostly because I go there frequently and I don't want people to think I'm the one doing the littering. But people just dump their s**t and it's so depressing.'
Other responders offered their own tales of woe, from areas in Glasgow and beyond - with a San Francisco native telling how his city hadn't done enough to prevent illegal dumping.
'I also think that when people see the council - the very ones responsible for collecting, transporting and disposing of litter - doing a half-hearted job, it sets a poor example for everyone else,' one commenter wrote.
'It sends the message that if they don't care, why should anyone else?'
Commenters pointed to the fact that community clean-ups, led and carried out by volunteers, do exist - both within Glasgow and other areas.
And for those who blamed the litter on certain demographics, one wrote: 'It's not just "neds" and "junkies". There are far too many people who have zero respect for where they live and for others without having substance abuse or behavioural problems.'
Others stressed the point that looking after local spaces is a 'mindset' issue, with many believing they are entitled to leave rubbish.
'This is a "throw away" mindset where people think it's somebody else's problem to clean up, one commenter said.
'It also taps into the myths people tell themselves about the amount of rubbish they produce - "but it's okay because I recycle".
'I went to work the other day in a hurry, plastic litter outside my close door, arrived back from work, people are in and out all day, still there - I put it in the bin.'
The UK is generally considered to have a littering problem when compared to other European countries.
It hasn't yet affected our status as a developed country, but whether it goes on to influence tourism or living costs remains to be seen.