Over Packaging can be a Marketing OverKill
In the last decade, there has been strong concern voiced about the fact that some food and product items are over-packaged and produce too much waste for landfills.
In Europe, for example, local governments are starting to use a polluter-pay as you go scheme, pushing the responsibility of the waste back onto the consumer.
In Switzerland, this is the polar opposite whereby the Seller is responsible for the packaging waste and recycling. Consumers can return their packaging to the Merchant that sold or supplied it.
In the UK some electrical suppliers such as Curry s offer a service whereby you can return the appliance packaging and they will recycle it.
When we talk about over packaging it affects all industries. For example, buying meat from a Super Market is one example. In the UK the packaging that the Supermarket’s use has been criticized for being to large in volume, the density of the plastic is thick and the volume that the discarded item takes up in recycling and landfill is too much.
There are other viable options for example on a trip to France I found the same meat presented in a Supermarket in a vacuum-packed natural state. The waste its discarded packaging takes is minimal.
Local Traders such as Butchers and Bakers wrap their produce in Butchers Paper and waxed grease proof paper which is wrapped fresh and to wrapped order with little wastage.
In recent developments in the UK, the Supermarket giant Waitrose has chosen to ban foam trays for meat and go to using plastic pouches because of their lesser volume and that they produce less wastage., estimated at a saving of 9000 tonnes per year. Other Supermarkets are set to follow.
Buying Milk in a tetra pak as opposed to a Plastic Bottle can also save on packing waste.
In Australia, Mothers Opposing Pollution (MOP) are a pressure group with Its prime purpose seems to have been to champion cardboard milk cartons against plastic milk bottles.
In summary, smarter consumers are constantly evaluating the appeal of packaging, the waste volume and whether or not the product could have been packed in a more environmentally sensitive way.
If you need any advice on packaging products optimally please get in touch.