A “less is more” philosophy has permeated produce packaging in recent years, as companies work to reduce waste. Packages have been designed to contain fewer plastics, thinner films and biodegradable materials.
What happens now, with a pandemic prompting more consumers to buy more packaged goods in the stores?
Sustainability doesn’t have to be a casualty of the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis currently sweeping the globe, marketers say.
“We are not seeing customers step away from their sustainability commitments,” said Karen Reed, marketing and communications director at Union Gap, Wash.-based closure manufacturer Kwik Lok Corp.
“Companies still want to reduce their carbon footprints and reduce plastics. They are looking to Kwik Lok to help them find solutions that keep food safe and fresh in addition to providing sustainable options.”
Kwik Lok sees it as “a worthwhile challenge” and continues to develop products that attempt to balance the needs of consumers and customers, Reed said.
Canby, Ore.-based Package Containers Inc. is looking in a similar direction, said Dave DeMots, CEO.
“Our perspective is the customer is seeking sustainable alternatives to what has been traditionally offered,” he said.
“We believe it will be in the best interest of retailers to provide customers the choice between traditional options and sustainable options; more and more, consumers will choose the sustainable alternative.”
Sustainability is not a trend and isn’t going away, said Jeff Watkin, graphic and marketing manager at Collinsville, Ill.-based packaging manufacturer Sev-Rend Corp.
“The industry has seen the need for waste reduction and there are several ways to get there,” he said.
“From a focus on the material types so it meets the needs for recycling to decreasing the amount of materials used, (all are) factors everyone is investing time and energy into (for) biodegradability of the waste materials.”
Atlanta-based Georgia-Pacific continues its mission to work with its customers through its Packaging System Optimization (PSO) process to gain efficiencies in their packaging, said Julie Davis, director of public affairs.
“Waste reduction was a pre-COVID focus for a lot of customers, and it seems like it will remain a high priority,” Davis said.
“A lot of packaging decisions are based on retailers’ requests, so having a focus on packaging innovation is key to providing solutions to meet changing needs and ensure minimal waste.”
Consumer choice
Even amid the pandemic, many consumers remain conscious of their environmental impact and want to make choices that allow them to reduce waste, Davis said.
The trend toward minimal packaging will continue, said Chris Veillon, chief marketing officer with Leamington, Ontario-based Pure Hothouse Foods Inc.
“They need to do so to reduce our collective carbon footprint,” he said. “The minimal aspect of packaging is not about having ‘less’ packaging but more so along the lines of more eco-friendly solutions”.
Veillon listed palm fiber, recycled paperboard-based packaging, sugar cane, and other biodegradable or home-compostable solutions.
“While some of these initiatives are still quite cost-intensive, there needs to be further development on providing mass, affordable solutions to truly impact the sustainability topic,” Veillon said.
Sustainabile options don’t necessarily mean less quality or less safety, said Jeff Brandenburg, president and primary consultant for the Greenfield, Mass.-based JSB Group LLC and QFresh Lab in Salinas, Calif.
“There are way to make a sustainable package and still meet the quality requirements,” Brandenburg said.
“If you look at the role of packaging, it’s really very fundamental: it keeps what’s in in and keeps what’s out, out, protects product and allows for marketing and advertising.”
Waste reduction is a core necessity today, said Steve Lutz, senior vice president of insights and innovation with Idaho Falls, Idaho-based Category Partners LLC.
“Obviously, waste reduction is huge for retailers; they’re all over it,” he said.
Sustainability has been in the forefront for the past few years and will continue to be a major focus as the industry moves forward, coupled with an emphasis on food safety, said Cindy Blish, brand and communications manager with Shelton, Conn.-based Inline Plastics Corp.
“At present, single-use plastics are synonymous with safety; consumers know that single-use plastics are clean and will protect contents,” she said.
However, she said, sustainability efforts remain an ongoing priority for the plastics packaging industry.
“We currently manufacture products with the lowest possible carbon footprint in the market, which includes being the first major packaging supplier to commit to using post-consumer content in all of our products,” she said. P
The current pandemic has highlighted the benefits of plastic packaging as a mode of protection for fresh produce and for families, said Aaron Fox, vice president of McAllen, Texas-based Fox Packaging.
“This significant benefit should be considered as packaging programs are reviewed,” he said.
“Widespread usage of single-use packaging in combination with throwaway culture has impacted our environment; the responsible management of our resources can beneficially support our waste streams and can have a direct and positive impact on the post-consumer recycled materials end-market.”
That would lead to more reasonable costs for buyers, Fox said.
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