Πιό πράσινο σχέδιο συσκευασίας

Σκεφτείτε για τα παραδοσιακά τρία ρ που συνδέονται με την ιεραρχία αποβλήτων, τα οποία είναι μειώνουν, επαναχρησιμοποιούν και ανακυκλώνουν έπειτα. Αυτά τα τρία ρ που συνδέονται με την ιεραρχία αποβλήτων πρέπει απολύτως να εξεταστούν όταν την ανάπτυξη προϊόντων και την ανάπτυξη συσκευασίας επίσης.

1. Η πρόληψη είναι βήμα ένα, επειδή η πρόληψη αποβλήτων πρέπει σίγουρα να είναι ένας αρχικός στόχος όταν το προϊόν και την ανάπτυξη συσκευασίας. Η συσκευασία πρέπει μόνο να χρησιμοποιηθεί όπου απαιτείται απολύτως. Η κατάλληλη συσκευασία είναι επίσης ένας άριστος τρόπος για την επιχείρησή σας να βοηθήσει να αποτρέψει τα υπερβολικά απόβλητα. Η συσκευασία μπορεί να διαδραματίσει έναν σημαντικό ρόλο στη βοήθεια να αποτραπεί η απώλεια ή η ζημία στο περιεχόμενο της συσκευασίας. Το ενεργειακό περιεχόμενο καθώς επίσης και η υλική χρήση για ο, τιδήποτε προϊόν συσκευάζεται πρόκειται συνήθως να είναι πολύ μεγαλύτερα από το ενεργειακό περιεχόμενο η ίδια της συσκευασίας. Μια από τις πιό ζωτικής σημασίας λειτουργίες της συσκευασίας είναι να προστατευθεί ο, τιδήποτε περιεχόμενο είναι μέσα για την προοριζόμενη χρήση τους. Παραδείγματος χάριν, εάν το προϊόν είναι είτε χαλασμένο είτε υποβιβασμένο, κατόπιν το υλικό περιεχόμενό του και το ενεργειακό περιεχόμενο μπορεί να είχαν χαθεί εξ ολοκλήρου.

2. Η ελαχιστοποίηση είναι επίσης γνωστή ως μείωση πηγής, και αφορά τη μάζα και τον όγκο της συσκευασίας. Η μάζα και ο όγκος της συσκευασίας, για κάθε μεμονωμένη μονάδα του περιεχομένου, είναι ικανοί της μέτρησης καθώς επίσης και χρησιμοποιημένος ως ένα από τα πολυάριθμα κριτήρια για την ελαχιστοποίηση κατά τη διάρκεια της διαδικασίας της συσκευασίας και του σχεδίου. Η μειωμένη συσκευασία το καθιστά πιθανό για τις δαπάνες να ελαχιστοποιηθούν σημαντικά. Οι συσκευάζοντας μηχανικοί εργάζονται με συνέπεια προς τη μείωση της συσκευασίας τους.

3. Η επαναχρησιμοποίηση είναι σημαντική επειδή ενθαρρύνεται για τη συσκευασία ή τα συστατικά για να επαναχρησιμοποιηθεί για άλλους λόγους. Όταν η συσκευασία είναι σε θέση της επιστροφής, είναι πιό χρήσιμο καθώς επίσης και οικονομικότερα βιώσιμο επίσης, ειδικά όταν τα κλειστά συστήματα διοικητικής μέριμνας βρόχων. In some case inspection and cleaning are required, and repair and recouperage may also be required in some instances.

4. Recycling involves the reprocessing of packaging materials, including pre consumer materials and post consumer materials in order to create new products. Emphasis is placed on recycling the largest packaging components, especially when it comes to primary components such as paper, plastic, steel and aluminum for example. Smaller components can also be chosen but they are sometimes much more difficult to separate, so they are only chosen when they do not contaminate the operations of recycling.

5. Energy recovery allows for heat to be made available from packaging components through refuse derived fuel and waste to energy processes which can be conducted within approved facilities.

6. Disposal is needed for some materials used in packaging, which means incineration as well as placement within a sanitary landfill. Certain states located within the United States will regulate packages for contents that are potentially toxic, especially if these packages have the potential to contaminate the air from incineration. Packaging like this should never simply be littered.

We hope this provides you a good starting point for your greener package design.

What Makes Packaging, Green?

One of our readers asked us to explain green packaging.

Q: What is the criterion for good sustainable packaging?

According to one leader in the packaging and environmental arenas, sustainable packaging materials can be designed in America and procured from worldwide locations (though common sense would indicate that shipping packaging supplies from Asia would offset any green benefit) as long as the packaging can meet these basic definitions?

• Is the packaging beneficial, safe, and healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle?
• Does the packaging meet market criteria for performance and cost?
• Is the packaging sourced, manufactured, transported and recycled using renewable energy?
• Does the packaging maximize the use of renewable or recycled source materials?
• Is the packaging manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices?
• Is the packaging made from materials healthy in all probable end-of-life scenarios?
• Is the packaging physically designed to optimize materials and energy?
• Is the packaging effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial cradle-to-cradle cycles?

So if you are sourcing greener packaging materials, ask yourself those questions and you will be a giant step ahead of your competition when it comes to things like Wal-Mart?s scorecard and other business and governmental entities that keep track of your company?s green initiatives.

Giving Up On Convenience Packaging?

What would you give up to save the world? What types of packaging could you do without?

A recent survey of consumers by the Nielsen Global Food Packaging says that almost half of global consumers would give up all forms of convenience packaging if it benefited the environment.

This includes packaging that make stacking/storing in the home easier (49%), packaging that can be used for cooking or is resealable (48%) and easily transportable packaging (47%).

Making up the list of things shoppers were least willing to give up was packaging that helped keep products clean and untouched by other humans (27%); packaging meant to keep products in good condition (30%); information on packaging which includes food labeling, cooking and usage instructions (33%) and packaging which helps to preserve the product (34%). Ten percent of consumers said they were not prepared to give up any packaging that would benefit the environment.

Does it matter what country you live in?

Lifestyles and regional factors played a key role in the considerations for Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies. Most North Americans and Europeans said that they would give up packaging designs which aided in storage and stacking at home, and they would also give up resealable packs that could be used for cooking. However, only 42% of Asians said they would be willing to give up stackable and storable packaging, and less than 40% would give up easy transport packaging. In countries like Finland, Ireland, and New Zealand, over 70% of respondents said that would give up stack-and-store packaging. Over 65% of Irish, New Zealand, and Czech customers would give convenience packaging to benefit the earth.

So, what packaging would you give up to save the world? That depends on where you live and how much convienience you are willing to live without.

Sustainable Packaging Buying Decissions

A recent packaging survey in an industry publication suggests that almost half of American consumers consider one or more sustainability factors when shopping for products in stores.

The survey suggests that not only are the products important but the packaging and the store where products are purchased also playing a role. This information could be invaluable to you when designing or sourcing packaging materials.

Some of the surveys other findings include:

• Almost 25% of the respondents consider two or more sustainability issues when making a purchase. Over 29% said that environmentally friendly packaging influenced the brands they bought, and 21% choose stores that carry a wide selection of products in sustainable packaging.
• Sustainability factors are most important in the households of aging baby boomers and those with less than four people. Larger households with smaller budgets may choose products with lower prices instead of sustainability.
• Failing to reach the 55-and-over market could be a problem for companies and retailers because they are missing a large part of their main consumer base.
• Conscious consumers direct most of their buying to drug stores rather than supercenters.
• High sustainability concerned customers have a higher purchase rate in food and beverages.

In terms of packaging, the survey recommends that companies and retailers do the following:

• Utilize all opportunities to reduce packaging and leverage recycled materials, reusable, and biodegradable materials among their private label products.
• Increase the availability of products with eco-friendly packaging.
• Optimize shelf-space as the package size is reduced.
• Signal all significant environmentally friendly packaging improvements.

As you can see, many factors go into making buying decisions for sustainable packaging.

External Influences Will Impact Your Packaging

Consider this recent headline: “Tesco pledges to cut packaging by a quarter…”

Supermarket giant Tesco today pledged to reduce by a quarter the amount of packaging used in both branded and own-label products within the next three years.

Uh-Oh! Are you worried? Well, you should be. External influences can shape the face of packaging materials for now and in the future. Many times this will be totally outside of your control. Legislation could be enacted, there could be a product security scare or another incident like 911. All of which could dramatically shape the success and failure of your product and its packaging.

Each January I write a packaging trends piece. It?s about where the packaging industry is going now and in the future and what external influences will drive that change. Trends are an important predictor of where the market is moving. Trends are more long lived than fads. Trends will influence product development for several years and sometimes they will become mainstream.

After reading the headline above, what?s your gut reaction? It better be that this is a serious trend. Not only is the reduction of packaging materials big news so is the use of environmentally friendly materials. What?s driving this trend? It is big box retailers like Wal-Mart and Tesco and more recently consumers.

Read this paragraph:

BENTONVILLE, Ark., ? Today at the second annual Sustainable Packaging Exposition, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) released the initial results of its Packaging Scorecard. The scorecard, which was officially unveiled at the Clinton Global Initiative in September 2006 and launched on February 1, 2007, evaluates Wal-Mart and Sam?s Club suppliers on the sustainability of their packaging and offers suggestions for improvement. The results from the first month of operation show active use of the scorecard and a strong interest from product suppliers to make their packaging more sustainable. The scorecard implementation is Wal-Mart?s next step in moving toward achieving a five percent reduction in packaging by 2013.

Are you getting the message loud and clear? It is plain and simple, material reduction and more sustainable packaging materials. If you are not considering this as part of your long term packaging plan, then you might have problems down the road. ?Green? is here to stay this time.

Besides the green movement what other factors can influence product packaging? What about product security and integrity? Given the rash of recent product recalls (for a variety of reasons) product security has become paramount. States could enact legislation or at the very least mandate that your product packaging has a tracking device. Now this is not the same as RFID, similar, but not the same. The latest devices allow you to track products all the way back to the field it was grown in and it provides a track back for every step along the way.

Some retailers may mandate that RFID be included on all product packaging. Will you be prepared? RFID interestingly is a two edged sword. There are some watchdog groups the feel that the RFID mandate is being taken too far. That is tracking what you buy, how you use it and ultimately how you dispose of it.

Recently, a major outlet demanded that all their vendors not only source their products but their packaging not from China but from the US. Trends like this are hard to ignore. If you are outsourcing your product and your packaging or even just the packaging to another country, do you have “Plan B” in place should this happen to you?

It?s your product and you will need to package it properly while being careful to keep all the external influences in mind. The warning signs are out there. Its up to you to look for them and anticipate the possible influence on your product.

About the Author:

JoAnn Hines is the Chief Executive Officer at J.R. Hines International, a firm providing consulting services in the packaging industry. For over 30 years, Ms. Hines has been engaged in packaging trends, forecasting, ideation/brainstorming and implementing innovative new packaging technologies.

Need insights on packaging trends that can impact your business? Get the Packaging Diva on your team. Visit PackagingUniversity.com to find out about the latest packaging innovations.

Prime Time Packaging

Are your packaged products ready for prime time? Here are a few insightful tips to help you out.

There are many packaging issues afloat in the minds of the consumer. We just came off the traditional “wrap rage” cycle that stirs everyone into a frenzy around the holidays. Be aware that it’s still an issue to contend with in the minds of the consumer. Clamshells, twist ties and difficult to open packages still get mileage in the media.

Packaging has many detractors. We are getting serious scrutiny from everyone in the realm of environmental sustainability, less packaging, more environmentally friendly packaging, save the earth packaging and so on. Every week I read about a new packaging crusade that is supposed to solve our environmental woes. But I have been researching for an upcoming presentation “Sustainable Packaging - From Green To Great”. The lack of new packaging innovation to solve the problem is quite distressing. Most of what I am seeing revolves around the same supplier using the same packaging materials. Unfortunately, a lot of it is smoke and mirrors that touts “green” but does not back it up with true sustainable documentation. There are a few good examples of innovation. In researching environmentally friendly lipstick tube examples, the results were woefully inadequate. “Cargo Plant Love Biodegradable Lipstick” was the only company I discover (with a great marketing story I might add).

So, I pose these questions to all product packaging developers. How green are you? Do you want to be? Do your consumers and your target demographic even care whether you are green or not? This is going to be one of the prime time packaging issues this year so you better make some serious strides in deciding what you want your product packaging to reflect.

Another key matter will be product security, integrity and product origination. Currently the “Made in China” tag is becoming a political hot button. One of the trends I am starting to see is a China backlash. Products made and packaged in China are coming back to the US. Some companies are using China Free on their product packaging as a marketing tool… and it’s helping sales.

People are reading labels and scrutinizing them. What it says on that label will influence whether they buy your product or not. I just read that cloned meat will be coming on the market in a few years. At present, the FDA won’t require food makers to label that their products came from cloned animals. I’d want to know from the product packaging and, I believe, so would most consumers. The point being is that any high profile package or product will be looked at thoroughly by consumers. What you tell them better be the right message and true.

Watchdog groups about and they are on the lookout for your product to make a mistake. Whether they deem you are marketing to an inappropriate market (an example would be Spykes marketing liquor to children) or that your packaging isn’t telling the whole truth (McDonald’s and all the other fast food companies and fat content), it’s sure to become newsworthy and in the worst case scenario could seriously impact your business.

Consumers are fickle. What is a hot issue today may be gone tomorrow. However, in the interim if you are not on target with the right packaging message you may alienate them or force them to buy a competitor’s product because your packaging is not sending the right packaging message.

So, before you embark on any new packaging campaign understand and incorporate into your product packaging what the consumer wants to know about the product. Be sure your packaging is ready for prime time to the right consumer with the right marketing message.

About the Author:

JoAnn Hines is the Chief Executive Officer at J.R. Hines International, a firm providing consulting services in the packaging industry. For over 30 years, Ms. Hines has been engaged in packaging trends, forecasting, ideation/brainstorming and implementing innovative new packaging technologies.

Need insights on packaging trends that can impact your business? Get the Packaging Diva on your team. Visit PackagingUniversity.com to find out about the latest packaging innovations.

Your Packaging Scorecard

Recently I’m coming across a variety of new packaging trends or terms and it got me to thinking about how informed the average person is about product packaging. I know you are all busy doing your jobs and it takes a lot of time to keep current of what is new in product packaging or what may influence your products success. It’s hard for me to keep up on a daily basis and that is all that I do for my clients.

Perhaps as a way to ascertain what is hot and what is not you should create your own “packaging scorecard” as way to measure how tuned you are to the latest in the consumer perceptions of product packaging and how it could impact whether your product will sell or not!

Consumers are very fickle about packaging issues. In fact many times they don’t even understand the role of the product packaging itself. Lets take all the hue and cry over green product packaging. You would think consumers are clamoring for more environmentally responsible packaging. But just this morning I read that despite what we read about the desire for more “green” packaging the beauty industry reports that 25% of French women and 20% of British want recyclable beauty packaging, US women just 12%. Slightly higher than that magic 10% of greenies that are already in that space anyway.

So, should this be an issue in your packaging scorecard? Well, that depends upon what your niche is. In any case its a movement to watch and be aware of so I’d add it to your list.

What about “shrinking” consumer product packaging? Will companies reducing the size of the product and keeping the price the same create a groundswell of consumer outrage. The media think so. If I were you I would add this to my scorecard. There is a lot being written about it. If I were a smart marketer I’d figure out a way to add “more” to my product for the price rather than less.

Value for your money is a trend and its not going away. Just look at the growth of private label at the expense of branded products. This definitely would be on my scorecard.

The point is that you can take a few packaging trends and consumer hot buttons and create your own packaging scorecard. It will help you track how close you are tuned into the latest consumer issues.

Just remember the scorecard is not static. It needs to change as issue evolve or are resolved. A few minutes a week is all it takes to stay on top of the needs and issues of your core customer.

About the Author:

JoAnn Hines is the Chief Executive Officer at J.R. Hines International, a firm providing consulting services in the packaging industry. For over 30 years, Ms. Hines has been engaged in packaging trends, forecasting, ideation/brainstorming and implementing innovative new packaging technologies.

Need insights on packaging trends that can impact your business? Get the Packaging Diva on your team. Visit PackagingUniversity.com to find out about the latest packaging innovations.

Green Packaging

I just got a call from Brandweek to comment on green product packaging backlash. I’ve been writing about it for a while but this week reading about square milk bottles brought it all to a head.

While the idea of a square milk bottle looks good on paper and its attractive financially to the retailer, a lot of consumers hate it. It’s just like the bag of milk I discussed earlier its cumbersome and very consumer unfriendly and mostly likely will never fly here in the US no matter how environmentally friendly it is.

Every week I get dozens of new green packaging press releases. Some of these are really a stretch. Its seems with green the “in” thing to do, everyone is trying to jump on the band wagon. Many of these innovations really don’t make sense or in many cases won’t “connect” with the consumer.

Just because its green, environmentally friendly, sustainable, compostable, recyclable or biodegradable doesn’t mean that consumers will buy your product. Consumer acceptance is a very complicated issue. The growth of convenience and luxury categories flies in the face of the environmental movement too. They use lots of packaging and expensive too!

We want it and we want it now. If it happens to tap into the “green movement” so much the better. The average consumer really does care about the environment they just aren’t going to sacrifice their creature comforts to get there. In reality only about 10% of the American populace inhabit this space any way. Sure we can all use a little less packaging in our lives just take a look at your trash can. Remember however, without the package you cannot have a product so give packaging a break!

As I have said many times packaging has many roles to play ones in addition to protecting the product and getting it in your hands, attributes consumers will not willingly give up. Just think how you shy away from any damaged product packaging or reject the damaged or bruised product at the supermarket. The rejection rate is already 20% without packaging this would skyrocket. And who do you think pays the ultimate price for less packaging? It’s not the retailers or the consumer products companies, its you the consumer.

When was the last time you saw a sales person trained to tell you all about the item you are considering purchasing? The packaging tells you the story about what is inside and why you should buy it. You know the “silent salesperson.” So before you jump on the “less” packaging bandwagon give some consideration to why the packaging is there in the first place. I wrote this little jingle for Twitter and that’s says it all. “Toothpaste squeezes, eggs aren’t cracked, pizza delivered, headache’s better, beer anyone? Packaging a love affair you never knew you had.”

Now don’t get me wrong, I have seen some very interesting concepts in “green” product packaging some that make sense to the consumer. But I have seen a lot of junk too. Some companies that are just making some green packaging noise hoping to capitalize on some of the current media buzz. So think about your green product packaging message and how it integrates into your brand. Does it make real sense or are you just trying to spin green? Remember before you jump into the frenzy consider what your consumer wants and expects out of your product packaging. Will it truly make a difference in the eyes of your core customer?

About the Author:

JoAnn Hines is the Chief Executive Officer at J.R. Hines International, a firm providing consulting services in the packaging industry. For over 30 years, Ms. Hines has been engaged in packaging trends, forecasting, ideation/brainstorming and implementing innovative new packaging technologies.

Need insights on packaging trends that can impact your business? Get the Packaging Diva on your team. Visit PackagingUniversity.com to find out about the latest packaging innovations.

Green Packaging Innovations

Wow, have I been flooded with a host of new “green” packaging innovations. Everyone is jumping on the environmentalist?s green band wagon. I am constantly asked if environmental sustainability is a flash in the pan. If this is any indication, the recent Sustainable Packaging Forum was sold out with attendees looking for the latest packaging news in saving the environment.

I have joked before that packaging is the true cause of “global warming.” But seriously, what is the reality? What is the real truth behind companies touting green packaging for the benefit of society?

Environmental issues are a hot topic right now, so people are climbing aboard. Global warming topics are on the news daily and people are looking for scapegoats as to its cause. Companies such as Wal-Mart are driving manufacturers to consider more environmentally friendly options in their packaging materials.

• Wal-Mart just unveiled their packaging scorecard to continue their commitment of reducing packaging across its global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013.

The packaging industry is often chastised for having unfriendly environmental policies. I’m not here to debate this point, but I do want to talk about using environmental issues in a positive and realistic manner.

Let’s take the word “green” as an example. Obviously, we think of the color first. But what about the variations of the definition that relate to packaging? How green is your packaging world?

• Green could mean less damage to the environment.
• Green could imply producing packaging from renewable resources.
• Green could entail designing products for environmental sustainability.
• Green could connote the use of less material and recyclable and degradable materials.

So “green” can be maximized for branding purposes in a host of different ways. If you have a “green” packaging product what ways are you capitalizing on the current media exposure? (In addition to sending out a press announcement.) Here are a few points to consider:

• Did you support or promote participation in any Earth Day activities?
• Do you belong to one of the many organizations that support “green” and the environment?
• Did you orchestrate your new packaging introduction to coincide with Earth Day or other environmental events?
• Have you submitted your green product to the numerous packaging associations that offer opportunities for environmental awards?
• Have you submitted your package to any of the non packaging related organizations that have “environmental” awards?
• Do you have a plan in place for your staff to understand and utilize in order to build your “green” brand?
• Do your employees believe in being “green?” (This is a very important buy in.)
• Have you looked at any websites such as TreeHugger.com (great site with lots about packaging) to see what they are doing?

Sure it seems a bit far fetched but Treehugger lives in the blogosphere world and we all know how important blogging is to the media. Try a quick Google search for “green packaging.” Yes, there are a few products listed but what is more important is what is not there. A huge area of untapped marketing potential is available for increasing the visibility for your packaging products.

No matter how unusual or “out there” the opportunity seems do not under estimate who will see and read about your “green” brand. The branding hot spots I want you to think about are:

1. Is your “green” packaging product is a flash in the pan?
2. Has there been serious brand integration of the “green” message throughout your company?
3. Are you using your “green” message in all the promotion, literature and media exposure?

The reality begs this question. Are you packaging “greenwash” to capitalize on a current media trend or are you saving the environment with “true” environmentally friendly packaging?

About the Author:

JoAnn Hines is the Chief Executive Officer at J.R. Hines International, a firm providing consulting services in the packaging industry. For over 30 years, Ms. Hines has been engaged in packaging trends, forecasting, ideation/brainstorming and implementing innovative new packaging technologies.

Need insights on packaging trends that can impact your business? Get the Packaging Diva on your team. Visit PackagingUniversity.com to find out about the latest packaging innovations.

Advice For Reducing Packaging

Eliminate

The basic principle of waste prevention is that by preventing the waste material from being produced in the first place, there will be less waste to manage at the end. If possible, eliminate the package altogether, provided product integrity will not be compromised.

Reduce

Reduce the amount of packaging materials used. For those products that must be packaged, consider methods of reducing the amount of material used in the packaging. Minimal packaging can be accomplished through:

• Product packaging design changes (e.g., concentrates, different material)
• Modifications to the package design (e.g., structure of the package)
• New or different types of packaging
• Single material packaging (e.g., one package component)

Development and use of consumable packaging where appropriate. (Consumable packages are those which are eliminated in the process of using the product so that no packaging material remains; an example would be the use of water soluble packets for a product that is to be mixed with water.)

Reuse

Design packages that are refillable or reusable.

Refillable packages may be refilled by either the consumer, retailer, or product producer from bulk
or much larger containers. To be considered refillable packaging must be refilled or reused for its original purpose rather than reused for a secondary purpose such as storing surplus material or other limited applications.

Maximize the use of reusable packaging materials, including reusable transport packaging.

Recyclable Packaging and Recycled Content

Packaging should be designed to be compatible with universally available recycling systems.

Labels, seals, tapes & closures etc should also be compatible with common recycled material processing systems.

A material should be considered recyclable only if there is a commercially viable and widely available system for collecting, processing, & marketing the material.

Use the maximum possible quantity of post consumer, recycled material in the packaging.

A package that is designed to be both recycled and constructed from recycled material is preferable.

Wherever possible, recycled content should consist of post consumer, recycled, waste material, i.e. material which has already served its intended use and has been discarded by a business or consumer.

About the Author

Mark Reid works for Postpack Ltd, an online manufacturer & distributor of packaging materials throughout the UK, Ireland & Europe. They provide free samples if required, offer free delivery for orders over ?100 and operate a free bespoke design service.

To speak to a packaging adviser and for a huge range of packaging materials visit Postpack.co.uk.