2PACKAGING INNOVATIONSKEY FACTS
1used each year to pr
2The amount of packaging has
3and 60 per cent of it is r
Sustainability: less is moreered and r4the last 10 years to double the
52012 to incr
Sustainability seems to be a buzzword that won’t leavethe packaging industry alone, but what does it actuallymean? Will Rankin reports.If you knew that a yoghurt pot weighstwo thirds less than it did a few decadesago, that glass bottles are 60 per centlighter than in the 1940s, and thatmany water bottles (such as Evian andVolvic) are already made of 25 per centrecycled material, you might feel lessconcerned about packaging, and moreinclined to give a slightly smug nod tothe UK’s packaging industry, whichhas become sustainable. A bold claim, you might say? But cur-rent evidence shows that packaging hasa net positive impact on the environ-ment, according to Jane Bickerstaffe,director of the Industry Council forPackaging and the Environment(INCPEN), the independent researchorganisation which draws togethercompanies with a shared vision - whereall production, distribution, and con-sumption are sustainable.In terms of the packaging industry,EU recycling legislation is being met.There are both commercial and envi-ronmental advantages for manufactur-ers to produce appropriate packagingfor the product, so it´s no surprise, per-haps, that excessive packaging is as fash-ionable as inviting friends round towatch a Betamax film.And while sustainability can meanmany different things to many differentpeople, Mrs Bickerstaffe describes itwith the succinct confidence of onewho´s been asked the question a thou-sand times: “It´s being able to keep doingwhat we are doing now.” She sees “three legs to what we wouldcall sustainability in the industry.” Firstly,she cites the environment. Clearly, anyview of what sustainability meansshould include saving more resourcesthan are used. The second leg is economy– INCPEN feels sustainability shouldaim to save costs in distribution and mer-chandising of goods. Thirdly, the con-cept should include a social element, bymeeting consumer’s expectations in allaspects of product protection, safety,handling and information.BUZZ WORDSustainability seems to be a buzz wordthat won´t go away. INCPEN has beenquietly lobbying and researching awayto encourage sustainability since 1974,asking its members whether packagingshould be reduced, reused, recycled,and made from renewable or non-renewable materials.While we are all seemingly keen tolearn the three ´Rs´ (that is, reduce, reuse,recycle), Bickerstaffe and her researchteam were quick to realise that packag-ing can´t be considered in isolation, anda holistic view of the whole supply chainwas needed to really understand theissues, challenges and opportunities.It´s worth remembering that packag-ing can be considered an item, but it isalso a process or a service for gettinggoods from production to consump-tion. For this process to be sustainablewe must optimise material, water andenergy use; minimise waste (from prod-ucts and used packaging) and maximiserecovery of value from waste - as materi-al, energy or compost, regardless of whatthe material is.Sustainability is about creating a bal-ance between sustainable productionand sustainable consumption, but pack-aging acts like an unseen bridge betweenthese two – creating sustainable distri-bution, according to INCPEN.And while the research body, itsINCPEN makes great efforts to edu-cate the population at large – via schoolsand the WI, for instance –in order thatthe “sustainability across the whole sup-ply chain” message filters through to all.“[But]..consumer demand is whatdrives the evolution of packaging. Man-ufacturers and retailers do all they can tominimise packaging. If, as individuals,we continue to consume more stuff insmaller packages (witness the effect ofthe growth of single person households,and the fragmentation of traditionalfamily structures) we will continue torun uphill in our pursuit of environ-mental care.“It cannot be for industry to moder-ate consumer demand – we all have tomake tough choices about the way welive our lives,” warned the director.Those choices might be as simple asshopping more often and understand-ing environmental labelling better, butwe must all attempt to approach ourlives from a stronger sustainability per-spective if we are to continue enjoyingour current lifestyles.But don´t worry - there´s help around.“We have a number of leading compa-nies as members, because industry in theUK has long been keen to look intoopportunities to help consumers livemore sustainable lifestyles,” said MrsBickerstaffe.THE CHAINA good sustainable system involvesinputs from every link in the supplychain, and good communication acrossthe chain so that each element under-stands the needs of the others, and actsaccordingly. While this may sound somewhat itsmembers and industry at large strive forsustainability, we consumers can help doour bit towards greater sustainability byaspiring to a better understanding of thenature of recyclability.altruistic, in practice, there are great eco-nomic benefits to be gained from work-ing together across the supply chain. Ifwe take each aspect in turn, this becomesclearer:• Raw material suppliers want to see morepacks from less material; minimal energyuse and less environmental impact.PACKAGING INNOVATIONSPublisherHenry EmbletonEditorWill RankinContributorsCatherine Carter, Des King, Will Rankin, Steve KelseyFor more information about Raconteur Media publications inThe Times andThe Sunday Times, please contact FreddieOssberg T: 020 7033 2100 E: info@raconteurmedia.co.uk W: www.raconteurmedia.co.uk• Manufacturers are always looking tominimise costs, reduce environmentalimpact, ensure that brand integrity ismaintained and ensure the packaging issuch that it allows for time-efficient pro-duction. • Distribution companies want to ensurethey have full loads – so would fightagainst unusual product shapes or over-ly heavy goods, for example. • Wholesalers and storage depots demandthat products can be easily stored, andthat packaging is strong and safe. • The retail section of the supply chainwant to ensure decreasing environmen-tal impact, coupled with the need to pro-vide compact displays of attractiveproducts to draw in the customers. • Consumers want wholesome food orundamaged goods, which are easy toopen and recyclable.• Councils and regional governmentsneed to provide efficient waste and recy-cling collections and facilities; want tokeep waste separation to a minimum tokeep costs low and minimise staff andvehicles use for further cost control.• The people who own and run materialrecycling facilities want clean inputmaterials; saleable output materials andguaranteed markets.• Recycled materials re-processors wantclean materials and good profits (such asturning recycled plastic bottles intofleeces).• Energy from waste recovery operatorswant a supportive community, shorterplanning processes and local buyers forthe heat generated by their plants.• Finally, waste disposal authorities wantless waste, swift planning permission forsites and no nimbyism.Add the seemingly disparate elementsof the chain together, and it quicklybecomes clear that there are a number ofcommon factors – cost effectiveness,quality and environmental concerns. “Companies, consumers and organi-sations need to work together because ofthe global nature and impact of the sup-ply chain,” said the INCPEN director.6waste.In 2005, the Europeanaverage recycling rate7was 57 per cent; the UK was54 per cent.6waste.
7was 57 per cent; the UK was
8other large EU countries – lessthan Denmark, France, Ger-many, Ireland, Italy, Nether-lands and Spain.8other lar
The UK recycles morepackaging waste than9many other EU countries –more than Finland, France,Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spainand Sweden.9many other EU countries –
10as high as 50 per cent; by con-
11A cucumber doesn’need packaging if it ispicked for consumption that
Food wastage in devel-oping countries can be10as high as 50 per cent; by con-trast in the UK only 3 per centgoes to waste before it reach-es the shops.A cucumber doesn’tneed packaging if it is11picked for consumption thatday. But if kept for longer, 1.5grams of thin plastic wrappingextends its shelf life from 3 to14 days.*From a presentation pre-pared by the Advisory Com-mittee on Packaging, sup-ported by INCPEN, the Pack-aging Federation and Valpak,October 2008 Distributed in The information contained in this publication has been obtained fromsources the proprietors believe to be correct. However, no legal liabilitycan be accepted for any errors. No part of this publication may be repro-duced without the prior consent of the Publisher. © RACONTEUR MEDIAThe UK uses less packag-ing per person than mostIn the UK 10 milliontonnes of packaging are1used each year to protect allthe goods purchased by busi-nesses and consumers.GDP has risen by 28 percent in the last 10 years.2The amount of packaging hasrisen by only 8 per cent.Packaging is less than 3per cent of all solid waste3and 60 per cent of it is recov-ered and recycled each year.£1.5 billion has beenspent by UK businesses in4the last 10 years to double theamount recovered and recy-cled.Government has setindustry targets up to52012 to increase recycling.Household packaging isonly 1.5 per cent of all