The Future of Packaging
Tony Foster, sales and marketing director of the UK packaging division of DS Smith, shared his views on the future of packaging with The Times.
The article featured in The Times’ Raconteur supplement in September and can be accessed online here. Tony’s full responses can also be found below:
- Circular Economy... In what ways is the packaging sector moving from a linear supply chain model to a circular supply cycle, and what is driving the shift?
We shouldn’t be talking about supply chains any more – effective packaging is part of a ‘supply cycle’ process, where materials rotate around the economy in a circular reuse / recycle loop.
The other thing to consider here is the role of packaging – good packaging uses the right amount of the right material to protect the product through to its destination, moving it through the supply cycle to maximum effect creating minimum environmental impact. So not only should the packaging itself work within a cradle-to-cradle model, it should ensure the product arrives in pristine condition; that way damage, waste and the need for product replacement are all minimised – underpinning the sustainable credentials of good packaging.
- Sustainability...Why should recyclability not be the only measure of packaging sustainability?
It seems that sustainability is increasingly on the consumer agenda again as we emerge from the recession and the highly visible nature of packaging means it is always under scrutiny in a world of scarce resources. Retailers and manufacturers have to respond to consumer concerns and manage the whole supply cycle, not just focussing on recyclability.
For example, at a time when food security is a major concern, modern packaging and distribution methods in the UK have brought food wastage in the supply cycle to very low levels – 3 per cent compared to more than 40 per cent in some less well organised economies.
Additionally, packaging manufacturers are always striving to optimise materials, without compromising on product quality, so as to save on cost and energy in production and transportation.
To be fully sustainable, the packaged product needs to flow easily through the supply cycle. It needs to be packed and transported in the most efficient, space-saving way, reducing the number of part-filled lorries on the road. Efficient transportation means fewer trips and lower C02 emissions. So, sustainability isn’t just down to how much material is used, good packaging reduces the overall supply cycle cost.
- Crystal ball gazing...Which single market trend/resource issue/regulatory change/technological innovation do you foresee as having the greatest impact on the landscape for the future of packaging?
The packaging industry has undergone a quiet revolution in recent years and it is now one of the most innovative manufacturing sectors in the country. Over the next few years there is a real opportunity to maximise the brand’s on-shelf presence, by working from product inception with designers and marketers. Key is greater understanding of the role packaging plays in the pathway to purchase.
The next challenge for corrugated in the retail environment will be self or ‘shelf’ merchandising; the development of integral features that automatically promote the product to the front face of the shelf. Supermarkets spend millions each year pulling stock to the front of shelf to ensure that the product is upright, clearly visible to the consumer and just ‘asking’ to be selected. Products lurking in half empty packs at back of shelf do not sell, good packaging can change that.
Another key area for the near future is the challenge posed by e-retail; packaging producers must work with manufacturers and retailers to not only protect the product in transit, but bring the brand values into the shopper’s living room, improving the purchasing experience and reducing the currently excessive returns levels.