Don't blame the pack, educate the consumer

15 November 2011

Recent announcements by the UK Government regarding food wastage have rung alarm bells in the packaging community. The Government suggested a ban on some ‘sell-by’ labels as they may by encouraging people to unnecessarily discard food that is still safe to consume. But this will surely not solve the problem.

A new survey, conducted on INCPEN’s behalf by Ipsos MORI in September, found that only 26% of respondents agreed that food waste is a bigger environmental problem than packaging waste, whereas twice as many (52%) disagreed. This is despite the fact that ten times more resources go into producing food than into the packaging that protects it.

It needs to be explained to consumers that wasting food is a very serious environmental problem and far bigger than throwing away the few grams of packaging that made sure the food arrived safely in the first place. Especially when there are recycling collections for most (more than 80%) of that packaging.

As INCPEN director Jane Bickerstaffe has pointed out, the Government’s own Waste Policy Review 2011 acknowledges that packaging fulfils an important role in avoiding spoilage in the supply chain and in the home, and that the carbon footprint of packaging is dwarfed by that of the products it contains. Both industry and Government need to help consumers understand that.

Many people complain about packaging waste – they’re aware food is mainly biodegradable or compostable, yet do not recognise the energy and resources required to get food into the home.

The British Retail Consortium says helping people understand that food past its best-before date can very often still be eaten or cooked would contribute to reducing food waste and also save people money. Meanwhile, packaging continues its uphill struggle to convince consumers of its crucial function in protecting products, preventing waste and saving resources – not mention its potentially life-saving (see this month's Brand Protection and Last Word features) product and brand security role.

Felicity Murray,

Editor


Felicity Murray



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