Sustainable packaging continues to build momentum. If this concept is to solidify its hold on packaging and influence the way packaging professionals operate beyond the short term, a certain amount of balance is going to be needed where the three so-called “pillars” are concerned.
The pillars, of course, are economic return, societal impact, and environmental impact. If these are not all in balance, then the long-term viability of sustainability is questionable. It seems to me that too much emphasis is currently placed on economic return.
Consumer demand certainly isn’t driving the spread of sustainable packaging, at least not enough to make revolutionary change necessary. Only about one in ten customers are reportedly demanding sustainable packaging. The outcome from this lukewarm consumer interest in sustainable packaging has been understandable. Industry has been looking at the easy solutions that, from a marketing and consumer perception viewpoint, garner the most return.
More than 50% of companies say that they have sustainable guidelines in place either formally or informally, and the vast majority of companies say that sustainability is considered in the package design process. However, most also say that sustainability does not play a major role in decision making. One look at store shelves and it seems pretty obvious that the bulk of these “innovations” are mostly examples of weight reductions, the inclusion of recycled content, and the use of more energy efficient processes.
See full article at: Sustainable packaging—what’s next? | Feature Article | Packaging World.
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