Whether you know it or not there is a war against packaging: people who perceive that it’s too much or wasteful and the people who actually package the product.and the people who manufacture the packaging.
There are two sides to every packaging story and what’s going on behind the manufacturing and distribution scene that no one ever considers. Packaging is under attack and in most cases unjustly so. Plus there is a big contingent against any type of packaging. Simply put, no packaging is n impossibility unless you want to regress your lifestyle about 100 years.
Packaging had evolved from simple vessels that stored and protected food and beverages to the sophisticated packaging we see today. Depending upon the culture the packaging needs change. The more sophisticated and affluent the society the more packaging that is consumed. As income grows so does discretionary spending. Increasing demand for goods and services requires more products and packaging.
The media loves to criticize packaging. Phrases like the great “garbage patch” and “wrap rage” incite consumers into frenzy against packaging. As we move forward in the coming years packaging needs to be reconsidered from all aspects. Yes, it does contribute to 1/3 of the garbage in the landfills. Yes, many products are over packaged and the packaging can and should be reduced. Yes, the packaging industry needs to do a better job in resolving packaging problems and creating waste.
We need to look at packaging from a different perspective. Keeping all the primary functions in place: transporting, protecting, containing, securing, educating and informing the consumer about what’s inside. Yet, at the same time keeping awareness about what we can do to lessen the societal impact of packaging.
People want goods and products convenience isn’t going away, so how do we marry the two? Let’s consider the issue: consumers still want convenience yet at the same time less packaging an products packaged in more eco friendly materials. It’s up to the manufacturers and GPG companies now to solve the issue.
I’ve written before about the 6 R’s of more environmentally friendly packaging: Reduce, refill, reuse, repurpose, renew and recycle @ http://packaginguniversity.com/blog/2010/02/12/packaging-%e2%80%9cgreen%e2%80%9d-for-valentine%e2%80%99s-day/.
But this is just the beginning of rethinking the packaging paradigm.
What would you like to see or suggest that packaging companies consider?
More eco friendly materials;
Less over all product packaging;
Goods and services produced closer to home;
More paper less plastic;
More bio plastics and less of other materials;
Packaging that solves more problems?
This is just the beginning and with consumer support the packaging industry can solve these problems. So before you put on the gorilla suit for people against packaging give us your thoughts, ideas and suggestions about what you would like the packaging industry to implement to marry consumers wants and needs with today’s contemporary packaging.
Tags: bio plastics. waste stream, Consumers, eco friendly, garbage, great garbage patch, landfills, packaging, recycle, reduce, refill, repurpose, societal issues, wrap-rage
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