Packaging Counts!

5 Responses

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1. Elaine Spitz - August 3, 2011  at  2:37 pm

   Packaging is not the bad guy! Indeed, we can reduce, reuse and recycle, but for safe fresh food (and other items) well-thought out packaging makes everyone’s lives easier. That said, this is a great concept and may work for many items.

   We too, have nut, shellfish, and other allergies in our home – we cannot take chances with anything that may be contaminated either in processing, or just by a consumer using the walnut scooper to handle grains or fruits. I always read labels to ensure the ingredients are safe and have been handled safely. With bulk items, there is no guarantee that the product has not been accidentally contaminated.

   Consumers who have never encountered this concern may not understand the implications, but for some, it truly is a life-threatening hazard.

   The best thing is that people are engaged and looking for ways to do better in terms of waste.

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2. Simon Twilley PackTV.co.uk - August 4, 2011  at  5:44 am

   This is all to do with how Consumer’s SEE packaging.

   By the time the consumer sees Packaging, it has already done 95% of its job preventing food waste.

   If it is then seen as waste, that is a problem. It is not waste, it’s a resource. If every household had recycling collection, in parallel with trash collection and it was all recycled as is entirely possible, then happy days. Especially in an age where companies who can turn trash into Energy in “our new Green Economy” are supposed to be the profitable future.

   But the infrastructure isn’t there, and it is us Consumers who are blamed by the media. Luckily they give us Packaging deflect the blame to, even though that is actually illogical if you look into it. But consumers don’t, why would they?

   So if a Store wants to brand itself as somehow more “ethical” by not having Packaging, I think they’ll do well financially. So long as enough Shoppers put up with the inconvenience and sea-change the way they handle and store goods now, the stores will do well.

   However I hope they may just make a lot of consumers realise the need for packaging, once they try without it. If it encourages more consumers to educate themselves better about Packaging, that can only be a good thing. Then maybe more would be asking for the recycling structure we all need.

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3. JoAnn Hines - August 4, 2011  at  2:13 pm

   I get so sick of everyone ranting about packaging. Packaging makes the world go rounds as I’ve said on many occasions.

   Packaging-free is nothing more than media hype. Just because they have no packaging at the store doesn’t mean packaging isn’t used to get the products there in the first place.

   The more you delve into the details you find out it’s not truly “packaging” free. It just sounds good on paper.
   Consumers need to come to grips that the modern lifestyle as we know it is essentially driven by good packaging.

   All the stuff consumers take for granted in their daily lives. Emerging countries around the world need and want more and better packaging. It’s what drives consumption.

   Remember this for the most part you can’t have a product without a package. Most importantly, packaging is our friend. And I’m thankful every day for packaging in my life!

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4. Ed Munro - August 4, 2011  at  3:25 pm

   The new packaging free store concept is interesting and will certainly appeal to core group of consumers. However, the reality is packaging is here to stay and therefore we must find (and re-think) ways to improve package design from both the functional and sustainable perspectives.

   We believe that packaging serves several functions from keeping the product fresh, sealed and protecting it from tampering and damage that may occur during transport. Of course packaging also serves the essential purpose of displaying specific information through proper labeling and of course – branding. Brands are what build trust and loyalty with consumers and the package is critical in conveying this message which is easily recognized and unique from it competitors.

   All of these factors are important and what needs to be reviewed (and in many cases re-evaluated) is the amount of packaging used and the kinds of materials used. (i.e. Is it biodegradable and/or efficiently re-used and recycled?)

   Packaging is only one component within process known as the “cradle-to-grave” product life cycle and therefore should become part of the company’s embedded sustainability program.

   The biggest issue that needs to be solved is the use of plastic. It’s no secret that our planet is choking on the stuff and it is killing our oceans. Ultimately we need to use less, use alternative materials and every sector needs to make a concerted effort to use biodegradable plastics. (http://bit.ly/cbaieM)

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5. Nicholas Horn - August 4, 2011  at  6:08 pm

   This is a great idea when it comes to reducing plastic pollution, but some items NEED to be individually wrapped for obvious health reasons. Food that is left exposed like that can easily get contaminated. The answer, however, is not to eliminate plastic packaging altogether. People trust name brands, so those same brands can make the same type of plastic packaging out of either recycled plastic or compostable plastic. Nobody can tell the difference between different types of plastics when looking at a finished product, and the cost of making recycled plastic is cheaper and uses less natural resources than making “virgin” resin. People can still buy the brands they love and less plastic packaging would be harming the planet.

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