Category: News & Updates

The custom polyethylene bags leverage a unique partnership between direct-to-consumer compost brand Tend, Salerno Packaging, and mechanical recycler EFS-plastics.

It’s that time of year that people across much of the US think spring, which brings to mind greener grass and blooming gardens. And that means the return of lawncare.

For the 2023 season, NOCO company Tend’s 1-cubic-foot volume bags of Brian’s Best STA Approved Compost for lawns and gardens will contain 20% post-consumer resin (PCR).

A mix of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear LDPE (LLDPE), the PCR is obtained from post-consumer sources such as curbside recycling programs and commercial recycling programs in distribution centers and retail stores.  

Buffalo River Compost launched Tend in 2022, a brand geared for direct-to-consumer lawn and garden products. The company sought sustainable packaging solutions, yet found scant options. 

“Some places around the country are starting to require minimum recycled content standards for plastic packaging such as garbage bags, but due to features such as UV protection and anti-slip, we weren’t able to immediately identify suppliers that used PCR in lawn and garden bags,” says Bobbie Thoman, Tend’s director of sustainability and innovation. 

The brand then settled on using standard LLDPE bags.

Tend had to track down a company that could make their bags more sustainable.

After contacting several vendors and learning that PCR lawn and garden bags were not currently available, Tend reached out directly to EFS-plastics in Canada. EFS-plastics is a mechanical recycling facility that creates customized plastic resin to help customers across North America develop cost-effective solutions for products and packaging.   

“The collaboration between Tend, Salerno Packaging, and ourselves is exactly the type of engagement this industry needs to advance PCR usage in packaging,” says Martin Vogt, CEO and president of EFS-plastics. “We’ve been pushing the envelope at our film recycling plants and can produce a range of high-quality LDPE and LLDPE PCR that are tailored for different consumer facing applications. We are proud of this joint achievement and hope to see more of such projects coming to life soon. Only then, we can make plastics circularity in flexible packaging a reality.”

Salerno Packaging, an affiliate of Inteplast Group, of which EFS-plastics is a joint venture, worked in partnership with Tend over the past year on everything from thickness and durability of the product to graphic design, and manufactured the new lawn and garden bag.  

“Salerno recognizes the importance of using PCR in packaging and is excited to be at the forefront of innovation,” says Roger Sullivan, Salerno vice president of sales & marketing. “We see the need for an increase in recycled content in the packaging we produce. It’s an important environmental effort, and we are seeing an increase in customers, like Tend, requesting this type of product.” 

“As composters we truly understand the importance of using recycled products to support circular programs and projects like this show what is possible when companies come together to innovate,” adds Thoman. “Composters are generally mission driven people and want to improve the environment through waste diversion and soil health. These bags wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for the enthusiasm from the entire supply chain throughout the production process. It’s an important step for an industry that relies on packaging to bring products to market.”

Recycling of the bags is a work in progress.

The bags are recyclable wherever programs accept these kinds of plastic bags; however, that presently does not include store drop-off locations because mulch and soil bags are not allowed, according to BagandFilmRecycling.org.

Along with Tend, EFS-plastics is working diligently to make that happen, Hendrik Dullinger, the US VP of business development, tells us. “We’re working directly with the Bag and Film Recycling group to get it accepted in the Northeast. We believe the store drop-off program is the best way to get these bags recycled as many municipalities do not have curbside pickup for these materials yet.”

As Tend’s Thoman points out, “retail take-back programs would be the [best] way to return the bags.”

For now, consumers will have to check directly with recyclers in their area.

Buffalo River Compost’s bags of Brian’s Best Compost will also be available for sale this spring at local garden centers in Western New York.

Source:

https://www.packagingdigest.com/flexible-packaging/compost-bags-boast-20-post-consumer-recycled-content

McCormick’s new herb and spice PET bottles use 50% recycled content paired with new SnapTight lids that preserve freshness longer.

For the first time in nearly 40 years, McCormick & Co. made a packaging change across the global flavor brand’s core red-cap branded herb and spice bottled products.

It’s a significant one and involves more than just a packaging change. The new PET bottles that have been tested and preferred by consumers address their desire to cook with the freshest herbs and spices. The brand’s new signature SnapTight lids will assure home cooks that the bottles are closed tight, locking in flavor and freshness between use.

The new bottles have begun to rollout on retail shelves nationwide, and the transition will continue through the year for all McCormick red cap products. This includes the most essential herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, garlic powder, paprika, parsley, and crushed red pepper.

“Our new bottle redesign is not only a milestone celebration for the brand, but for our home cooks as well,” says Nikki French, group vice president marketing, NA Consumer at McCormick. “These changes deliver a new standard when it comes to our passion and continued pursuit of flavor.”

From packaging through at-home use, McCormick has implemented several changes that give consumers reasons to add them to cart. Leveraging the redesign as a substantial opportunity to further their environmental commitments and listening to consumer feedback, the new bottles are made from a 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. Prominently printing product names and best by dates on the lid, will help consumers reach for the right flavors.

Clear label designs showcase the transparency and quality of McCormick herbs and spices.

A change was made on the packaging line as well. An improved bottling process draws out excess air during filling, reducing the amount of oxygen inside that can impact freshness over time; and new proprietary SnapTight lids audibly seal in flavor, so herbs and spices remain fresher, longer.

The company’s commitment to using 50% PCR bottles for McCormick’s everyday herbs and spices reduces the bottles’ carbon footprint by approximately 18-23% across all sizes.

Entering Pringles packaging lineup are mustached players including Gonzaga’s Drew Timme, UVA’s Ben Vander Plas, and Duke’s Dariq Whitehead.

Pringles mascot Mr. P has sported a burly and well-recognized world-class mustache for generations.

Now he’s going to share the on-package starring role in time for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament by celebrating a March Madness of ‘Staches with new, limited-edition “Pringles March Mustache Collection” packaging.

The canister collection features stylized renderings of several college basketball players with all-star level fuzzy faces including Gonzaga University’s Drew Timme, University of Virginia’s Ben Vander Plas, and Duke University’s Dariq Whitehead. The collection honors each player’s unique and elite ‘staches including Mr. P’s The Pringle, the horseshoe, the pencil, and the caterpillar.

The limited-edition packaging assists fan favorite flavors Pringles Original, Cheddar Cheese, BBQ, and Sour Cream and Onion.

One of the most recognizable faces for those like me who follow college basketball is that of Drew Timme, star forward of Gonzaga University’s team. That’s because the team regularly makes it deep into the tournament including three appearances in the Elite Eight or better since 2017.

“My mustache has always been part of my identity and it’s amazing to see the facial fuzz trend catch the attention of one of the most beloved ‘stache’d sporting brands, Pringles,” Timme says. “I’m pumped to be featured on these new cans with some of my favorite ‘stache’d opponents — game-on fellas.”

The brand is also making a slick move on social media to support the mustachioed campaign. Pringles is furthering the facial-hair love by encouraging fans to show their ‘stache for a chance to win a stash…of the Pringles March Mustache Collection that is.

Starting at 8:00am ET on March 15 running through 8:00am ET on April 4, fans can enter for a chance to win the Pringles March Mustache Collection by showing off their tourney-inspired ‘stache whether it’s naturally grown or faux fuzz on Instagram using #PringlesMarchMustacheEntry. The “fan-stache-tic” possibilities are endless – whether you draw it, glue it, fake tattoo it, show off your makeup skills, rock ‘stache-shades or grow it yourself.

“Pringles has a deep bench of ingenious flavors and ‘staches of all flavors are having a moment on college basketball courts,” says Mauricio Jenkins, Pringles US marketing lead. “We’re thrilled to celebrate the sensational players whose unique ‘stache flavor have captured the hearts of fans everywhere and give fans nationwide a chance to join in the ‘stache fun.”

With interest in the annual tournament at a feverish pitch, this packaging redesign is a marketing slam dunk.

Source:

https://www.packagingdigest.com/packaging-design/pringles-march-mustache-packaging-spotlights-ncaa-basketball-stars

New packaging for Propel, a PepsiCo brand, includes a larger logo featuring the Gatorade bolt in the center.

Propel Fitness Water is rolling out a major brand refresh that includes a new packaging design and logo. The new packaging first appeared on store shelves in early 2023 and will be fully rolled out by summer. PepsiCo, Propel’s brand owner, executed the project inhouse.

Propel products are made with Gatorade electrolytes — ideal for exercisers looking to replace electrolytes lost to sweat — and the refresh emphasizes Propel’s Gatorade connection. The new Propel logo, for example, features the orange Gatorade bolt at the center.

The packaging redesign affects the entire Propel product portfolio, including 20-oz and 1-L bottles, as well as powder packets and cartons.

“We recently wrapped our eighth consecutive year of growth, and our size has nearly doubled over the last six years,” says Anuj Bhasin, chief brand officer, Gatorade. “As we continue growing, we’re leaning into over 55 years of Gatorade science by pulling the iconic bolt into the heart of Propel and re-establishing the brand as a modern fitness authority.”

Bhasin adds, “We’re going all-in on reaching exercisers with this brand visual identity refresh [that was] designed to reinforce the efficacy of our Gatorade electrolyte roots and commitment to fueling the goals of exercisers.”PepsiCo

Before (left) and After (right)

Bottle gets sleeker and mirrors ticker tape from sports fashion.

Highlights of the packaging refresh include a new structural design for 20-oz Propel bottles. The bottles are sleeker and more contemporary looking than previously, and the redesigned label graphics include a larger logo for visual flare on-shelf.

The new graphics also incorporate a color-coded, ticker-tape-style band displaying product flavor. Ticker-tape trim on athletic wear inspired this touch.

Updated colors also play a key role. “With this redesign, we went bigger and bolder with our color choices, adding modernity and depth to the portfolio with the introduction of electric blue, a flavor palette rooted in the world of fitness apparel, and of course the instantly recognizable orange Gatorade bolt,” says Sean Huls, senior design director with PepsiCo Design and Innovation.

Limited-time bottle connects with Creed III movie.

PepsiCo also recently announced its first limited-edition Propel bottle, created in conjunction with brand partner Michael B. Jordan. Graphics on the bottle picture Jordan in character as boxer Adonis Creed from Creed III, a movie Jordan starred in and directed.

The limited-edition 1-L Propel berry-flavor bottle launched in late February 2023, a few days before the US premiere of Creed III. The packaging will be available through summer.

Label graphics on the Creed III bottle include a QR code, which fans can scan (until August 20, 2023) to enter a promotion with weekly prizes such as Creed III tickets and virtual fitness classes. Consumers can also enter the promotion online.PepsiCo

Source:

https://www.packagingdigest.com/beverage-packaging/new-packaging-electrifies-propel-fitness-brand

Recycling businesses in Togo and Nigeria, bioplastics made from invasive plants from Lake Victoria, and a process of waste conversion to create safe and affordable cooking fuel in Kenya are amongst the recipients of £4 million as part of the Afri-Plastics Challenge, which aims to cut down on plastic pollution in Africa.

Run by innovation prize experts Challenge Works and funded by the government of Canada, the Afri-Plastics Challenge initiative aims to reduce amount of plastic waste both on land and in the ocean in and around the African continent.

Amongst the companies receiving funding in Strand 1, Green Industry Plast – Togo, based in Lomé, involves the foundation of collection units and sorting facilities for plastic waste in collaboration with local authorities in Togo’s major cities. As well as reducing the amount of pollution in the natural environment, the solution aims to utilise conversion machinery to produce bricks, paving slabs, whiteboards for use in schools, and more.

Furthermore, it is expected to create new jobs and facilitate further education about environmentalism by recruiting and training vulnerable women and young people who no longer attend school to sort and reuse waste materials. Each town is set to be equipped with bins for selective sorting.

“Up to 40% of households in Lomédump their rubbish in the natural environment – it is a public health menace and destroying the Togolese coastal and marine ecosystem,” explains Gado Bemah, CEO of Green Industry Plast – Togo. “We are building a sustainable and effective solution to plastic waste management in Togo for an inclusive circular economy by integrating the collection, sorting, and recycling of plastic waste. A grassroots approach will result in cleaner cities and prevent water pollution.

“Our ambition is to implement and increase recycling schemes for waste plastic and to build new warehouses to increase storage capacity. We want to equip every stakeholder in the city’s living environment – from City Hall to private citizens – with the tools to recycle to improve public health and living conditions.”

Meanwhile, Chanja Datti is an in-house, technology-driven, end-to-end process for plastics waste recycling involving the direct purchase of collected plastic from waste pickers and aggregators in an effort to support marginalised groups. With a series of recycling hubs currently operating across Abuja, the purchased waste is transferred to Chanja Datti’s aggregation, processing, and manufacturing plant, where it is processed into post-consumer recycled plastics to be sold to manufacturers.

Olufunto Boroffice, CEO of Chanja Datti, continues:“Over 64 million tons of waste is generated annually in Nigeria; unfortunately, only 10-15% of this is collected and recycled, with approximately 200,000 tons of plastic waste entering our water-bodies annually.

“Our aim is to establish a series of recycling hubs across northern Nigeria, building on our success in Abuja. The collected plastics will be processed and sold as post-consumer recycled plastics to plastics manufacturers for use by large bottle-to-bottle manufacturing companies.”

Mega Gas is based in Nairobi, Kenya, and seeks to convert unsorted plastic waste, especially polyethylene, into clean and affordable cooking gas through a patented process. Its thermal cracking process of distillation and compression is thought to produce clean gaseous fuel without generating emissions, residue, or further pollution, with the fuel harvested in metal cylinders for easy use and handling.

“4.2 million people die annually from indoor pollution because they do not have access to clean and affordable energy; meanwhile, humanity produces about 300 million tons of plastic waste each year, with much of this ending up in our rivers and polluting our planet,” says CEO Peter Njeri. “Mega Gas aims to solve both of these problems by recycling plastic waste into clean, affordable energy source. We use a patented thermal cracking process that converts plastic waste into a gas which is harvested, compressed into cylinders, and sold at affordable prices.”

In Strand 2, Chemolex’s Biopactic solution claims to be a recyclable, reusable, and 100% biodegradable material that hopes to replace single-use plastic polymers in food and product packaging. Produced from invasive water hyacinth plants that grow in Lake Victoria, Kenya, the solution hopes to cut down on the environmental, economic, and health impacts of their aggressive growth as well as cutting down on plastic waste.

“We supply 100% biodegradable and sustainable bioplastic material – Biopactic – that is a superior alternative to the single use plastic polymers used in food and product packaging and diaper manufacturing,” says Clifford Okoth Owino, founder and CEO of Chemolex. “Our patented precision bio-conversion technology enables us to sustainably utilise the invasive water hyacinth plants for bioplastic production to replace the use of these single-use plastics.

“Over the course of the last year, we have completed market research and analysis for our products and have started commercial production and supply. We currently supply more than 8,000 pieces of biodegradable bread bags and other customised packaging solutions across the Kenyan market. Chemolex has also developed biodegradable diapers and sanitary pads which are currently available in the Kenyan market.”

As a Strand 3 winner, Ukwenza VR reaches out to Kenyan consumers via virtual reality technology to demonstrate the journey taken by discarded plastic at end of life. This is hoped to raise awareness of the environmental damage caused by plastic waste and encourage consumers to dispose of their plastic waste effectively.

“Plastic pollution is a challenge that affects many cities and communities in Kenya,” says Ukwenza VR co-founder Njeri Ndonga. “The main cause of this in informal settlements is an over-reliance on plastic and a lack of adequate waste management systems. There is also inadequate sensitisation within communities to the effects of plastic waste on their lives and environment.

“Schools generate a significant amount of waste. School children lack skills, knowledge, and support because they have no basic formal or comprehensive environmental curriculum that teaches about plastic waste. While the current school curriculum touches on plastics, it is not enough to bring about behaviour change without an investment in their supplementary education.

“We work to bridge the learning gap by providing immersive and engaging educational virtual reality (VR) content that complements the current educational systems in urban areas in Kenya. VR encourages problem solving, decision-making and behaviour change in both children and adults.”

Additionally, Baus Taka Enterprise’s #StopPlasticPollution Campaign is intended to promote the segregation of plastic waste from its source and spread awareness of responsible waste management practices. Its mobile app hosts competitions on plastic segregation with monetary incentives, as well as offering redeemable points for medical services in partnership with health clinics.

According to co-founder and CEO Dr Tayba Hatimy, “Mombasa is Kenya’s second largest city and East Africa’s largest port. It generates an estimated 708 tons of waste daily, 42 tons of which is plastic waste, of which 44% is uncollected. Households in Mombasa do not have access to public waste management services, and so turn to informal waste managers, who often illegally dump mixed waste. This waste then makes its way into Mombasa’s rivers and oceans.

“The #StopPlasticPollution Campaign addresses this plastic mismanagement challenge at the source, to reduce marine plastic pollution. The Baus Taka mobile app is a platform to collect data on waste, and provide monetary incentives to members of the community who sort and trade their used plastic, which is then collected by Baus Taka and transported to recycling centres. Users are rewarded with points which can be traded for health services at partner health clinics, or access to entrepreneurship training to support their success as plastic waste managers.”

In Europe, an AI-based waste sorting solution from Lixo and a reusable alternative for e-commerce packaging from Rhinopaq recently received their own funding as part of Circular Valley’s Circular Economy Accelerator Programme.

Bionanopolys has also launched an open call to give five projects fully-funded access to its fourteen upgraded pilot plants and complementary services for the development, testing, and/or scaling up of bionanomaterials.

Source:

https://packagingeurope.com/news/afri-plastics-challenge-provides-funding-for-african-recycling-businesses-new-bioplastics-waste-conversion-processes-and-more/9548.article

In collaboration with the bakery business Borgesius, the retailer is implementing paper bread clips for its bread bags. Sell-by and best-before dates can be printed directly onto the clips, which are said to be easily recyclable in a reported first for bread bag packaging.

“We are constantly looking at possibilities to use less material, as much recycled material as possible and 100% recyclable material,” says Henk van Harn, director of merchandising and sourcing at Albert Heijn. “The well-known plastic bread clips, of which we use 125 million annually, cannot be recycled because they are too small for the sorting machines used for plastic waste. The transition to paper is a nice interpretation of our mission ’Making better food accessible together. For everyone.”

The paper clips will begin their roll-out this week and are set to package more products in the coming months; they are expected to completely replace plastic clips by the summer.

Another effort expected to improve the recyclability of bread packaging came in the form of WM and Dow’s pilot scheme thought to enable the kerbside recycling of hard-to-recycle plastic films in Hickory Hills, Illinois.

Morrisons also opened a pilot store that aimed to enable ‘plastic-free shopping’ through such solutions as selling ‘loose’, packaging-free frozen bread.

Source:

https://packagingeurope.com/news/albert-heijn-rolls-out-bread-clips-made-of-paper

Exploring bioplastic biodegradability and how it will impact our future

According to Report Insights, the biodegradable plastics market was worth 7.65 billion USD in 2022 and is projected to exceed 22.12 billion USD by 2030. While the appetite for plastics made from natural feedstocks is increasing, what can we expect for the future of bioplastic research? Here Dr Ashlee Jahnke, head of research and development  at plastic substitute specialist Teysha Technologies, discusses common problems with bioplastics and how recent innovations in biodegradability will shape our future.

Many commercial developments show promising results and improvements in the technologies used to produce bio-based materials. For example, ABB has set out to automate NatureWorks’ bioplastics plant in Thailand, which could improve production throughput and help accelerate consumer uptake in bioplastics. What’s more, continued research has led to new and innovative products, such as the Röchling Group’s latest sustainable bioplastics, Röchling-BioBoom and Röchling-ReLoop, which are manufactured using renewable raw materials like cellulose.

While this is certainly commendable progress expected to strengthen the sustainability of recycled materials and bioplastics, questions remain over just how sustainable some bioplastics truly are. For example, many bio-based plastics still use petroleum-derived plasticiser additives to give them mechanical properties akin to traditional plastics.

Not only does this continue to rely on the availability of fossil-fuels, it also greatly affects the material’s biodegradability and environmental impacts. These materials will still require industrial processing to be recycled or broken down, potentially involving energy-intensive processes like catalytic pyrolysis. It’s important that future innovations tackle these issues so that the entire lifecycle of a bio-material can be considered truly sustainable. With this in mind, what can we expect from future bioplastic research?

Great expectations

One expected development is more companies working to make improvements in the large-scale processes required to source and produce bio-based materials, increasing opportunities for further testing and certifications through collaborations with strategic partners. Additionally, continued research will build upon 2022’s successes, where access to new polymer compositions greatly increased. The current library includes polymers containing a single carbohydrate-based monomer unit, multiple carbohydrate-based monomers, and other comonomers derived from natural sources such as agricultural waste.

Perhaps the biggest recent advancement has been in the development of natural polymer materials with tuneable thermal, mechanical, and degradation properties. For example, polymers containing varying percentages of the same two comonomers have demonstrated a range of glass transition temperatures from -40 to 60 degrees Celsius. These thermal transition properties are indicative of mechanical properties, like stiffness, elasticity and brittleness. By demonstrating varying transition temperatures, while maintaining molar mass, dispersity and thermal stability, certain characteristics of the resulting materials can be chemically designed and tuned to suit the needs of a given application.

Importantly, the advantages of more specialised, higher-cost monomers can be obtained by incorporating only partial percentages of the monomer into the final polymer structure. The enhanced tunability that this strategy allows will have a significant impact on the ultimate breadth of applications that these materials can be used in.

These important steps in the search for a truly sustainable bioplastic have been conducted by biodegradable biopolymer specialist, Teysha Technologies. The company’s material family, AggiePol, has a wide range of properties, and some have been designed with the target of achieving biodegradation on the timeline required for OECD 310 Ready Biodegradability Certification. This assesses the aerobic biodegradability of organic substances in freshwater environments and was achieved by an AggiePol material in June 2022.

As the appetite for biodegradable bioplastics continues to grow, this research indicates that the future of bioplastics need not rely on harmful, finite fossil fuels or energy-intensive degradation processes.

To find out more about Teysha Technologies and it’s research, head to www.teyshatech.co.uk.

Source:

https://spnews.com/biodegradability/

By Charles Haverfield, Packaging Executive for US Packaging & Wrapping

Nestle recently announced a packaging makeover for one of its most recognizable products, KitKat. In Australia, the sweet treat will be trialled with recyclable paper wrappers as part of the company’s pledge to slash the use of virgin plastics by a third by 2025.

I explore whether paper-based alternatives are the best long-term solution over traditional plastic packaging for food products.

Weighing up costs

Packaging design and materials will inevitably be dominated by cost, with plastic remaining the most popular choice for many brands thanks to its durability, versatility and cost-effectiveness.

However, plastic is one of the biggest contributors to the global waste problem. The OECD predicts the amount of plastic waste produced globally is projected to triple to 1,231 million tonnes by 2060.

As a result, the government has set new regulations to tackle plastic packaging waste, such as the Plastic Packaging Tax, with brands facing costly fines should they not adhere to the new rules.

And with research finding 86 percent of under 45s are willing to pay more for sustainably packaged products, choosing paper-based packaging alternatives could not only avoid

Balanced branding

For most consumers, the packaging is the first interaction with a brand’s product and can make or break a sale. Manufacturers will therefore have to carefully consider how to avoid compromising brand identity when changing packaging.

Take Nestle as an example. The brand came under fire last year for changing the packaging for one of its most iconic and beloved chocolates, Quality Street. Nestle swapped its dual aluminium foil and cellulose to vegetable-based recyclable paper wrappers.

Other brands outside of the food packaging industry have seen greater success, such as L’Oreal developing a cardboard tube for La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios sunscreen.

However, it may be some time before we see 100 percent paper-based packaging and longer yet before this translates widespread across the beauty and food packaging industries.

Preserving products

Despite paper food packaging seeming like the more environmentally friendly option for its biodegradable properties, its poor barrier properties make food products more susceptible to light, oxygen and microbial degradation.

Food packaging manufacturers will therefore need to consider how paper-based alternatives can realistically match plastic packaging for food preservation without impacting its sustainable credentials.

Emerging technologies, such as water-based dispersion coatings, are hoping to provide improved barrier solutions for paper packaging. Unlike traditional plastic, aluminium or chemical coatings, dispersion coatings allow paper packaging to be fully recycled without separation processes while providing resistance to liquid and grease.

https://uspackagingandwrapping.com/

Source:

https://spnews.com/paper-based-alternatives/

A new report from Root reveals the top 5 challenges brands face when implementing a reuse and refill strategy and provides guidance on how to navigate them in this edition of the Spotlight.

‘Reuse and refill’ is a laudable aim – an environmental nirvana whereby customers make repeat in-store purchases using a single re-useable container. Less waste, less carbon, great customer experience, lower compliance fees, a better planet, and reassured shareholders – everyone’s a winner. Right?

Unfortunately not. The reality is that reuse and refill is still very much in its infancy. Any brands stepping into the arena right now will find themselves at the forefront of pioneering change in how consumers shop. Although brands have been discussing reuse and refill for some time, the simple fact is that whilst the ambition might be there, brands cannot do it alone. The practicalities of reuse and refill require the willingness and collaboration of global policymakers, manufacturers, supply chain partners, retailers, and, of course, customers to all play their part in making it happen.

At Root, we’ve worked with brands and producers looking to make the required changes to their business model. And for many brands, a successful transition involves completely reengineering their business and packaging strategy. It’s not something to be entered into lightly, and there will be challenges along the way.

Challenge 1: Lack of guidelines could result in more unsubstantiated ‘greenwashing’ claims

Policy guidelines are still in development and lack the detail needed to enable brands to develop a long-term reuse and refill strategy. The European Packaging and Packaging Waste Proposal has proposed new targets for specific industries. Still, with varying global definitions of ‘reuse’, i.e. the minimum times packaging can be refilled and when and how it should be cleaned, there are no clear and consistent guidelines for brands to follow. This could result in different brands, sectors, and markets interpreting the rules as they see fit, potentially leading to misleading ‘greenwash’ claims and operational chaos.

Challenge 2: Lack of clarity on lifecycle analysis can lead to the wrong action

Industry guidelines about what must be included in a reuse and refill lifecycle analysis are sparse. As a result, brands and retailers are coming up with their own methodologies to prove the worth of their programmes, and many are missing essential elements that could ultimately completely change the results. For instance, refillable packs need to be washed using water, heat, and chemicals. But many LCA studies completely leave this out of their analysis, instead focusing solely on select metrics, like the volume of material and carbon use.

Challenge 3: Reuse and refill is not just a bolt-on; it could require a fundamental change to your business model

Successfully transitioning to a reuse and refill model is not something that can be done half-heartedly. It requires commitment, a dedicated team, significant investment, and the right mindset across the entire business. Many brands have tried and failed, often because they haven’t put the right level of resources into making it happen, and even those that have, haven’t found it easy. It’s not just a case of bolting it on as a ‘nice to have’ – it needs to be placed at the centre of your product and packaging strategy.

Challenge 4: Consumers will accept or reject reuse and refill based on how easy it is for them to engage

For many brands that have trialled reuse and refill programmes, consumer buy-in was the final hurdle that tripped them up. Consumers will only engage with a reuse and refill programme if it’s simple and easy to use. Most consumers are keen to do the right thing, often choosing brands that fit their personal ethos and values, such as the desire for a more sustainable planet. But if the consumer experience is not entirely frictionless, previous trials have shown that many consumers revert back to buying ‘single use’, simply because reuse and refill was too complicated, expensive, or required too much effort.

Challenge 5: Brands need to collaborate and learn – even with their competitors

It’s not easy to be open and honest about the challenges you encounter, especially when your customers and competitors are watching. But reuse and refill is new territory for everyone, and the fastest route to success is to share experiences and best practice to avoid making the same costly mistakes. There are plenty of people and businesses out there already sharing their experiences and collaborating with each other. Through their willingness to have open and frank discussions in the public arena, together we can ensure reuse and refill becomes a reality that everyone can benefit from.

Download the free report – ‘Getting to the Root of Reuse + Refill’

Root’s team of packaging and sustainability experts has compiled a new report, ‘Getting to the Root of Reuse + Refill’, that takes a closer look at each of these challenges, with links to valuable frameworks, reports, and case studies from organisations, retailers and brands currently pioneering the reuse and refill concept.

To download the free report ‘Getting to the Root of Reuse + Refill’ go to https://root-innovation.com/getting-to-the-root-of-reuse-and-refill-report/.

Source:

https://packagingeurope.com/why-brands-are-failing-at-reuse-and-refill