Boost Drinks has revamped its packaging to increase shelf-appeal.
The revised pack designs feature the brand’s iconic lozenge logo with a subtle modern twist – a streamlined design approach.
Consumer testing has helped the brand craft a fresh identity which it says resonates with evolving customer preferences while maintaining its market position.
Adrian Hipkiss, commercial director, Boost Drinks, said: “The new pack designs offer an exciting new visual identity for consumers to enjoy, whilst feeling assured that they will be enjoying the same great taste and value they’ve come to know and love – and that’s what makes Boost among the top three selling brands across three functional drinks categories.”
United Dutch Breweries has worked with Canpack to produce a limited edition football-themed cans for its flagship Royal Dutch Premium Lager.
Using Quadromix can printing technology for this special edition, the classic Royal Dutch label has been replaced with a commissioned lithography.
Canpack said innovative techniques such as Quadromix significantly enhance the story-telling capabilities of beverage cans. It allows cans to be printed with up to four different designs in the same production batch.
Krystyna Rojewska, sales manager, Canpack, said: “Brand relationships with consumers are enriched by these mixed design sets because they are actively engaged with the product while it is still on the shelf as they choose their own combination of cans. The Quadromix technology is ideal for creating limited and collectible editions that boost the perception of a brand’s uniqueness.
Upfield is rolling out a plastic-free, oil-resistant paper tub – developed in collaboration with Footprint, MCC, Pagès Group, and Emsur – for its plant-based butters and spreads in a bid to replace over 25,000 tons of plastic waste every year.
Compressed wet paper fibres sourced from a PEFC-certified supplier are used to manufacture the tub, which is apparently waterproof and oil-resistant. Since it does not contain a plastic liner, it is recyclable in local paper waste streams, having received verification from a leading European recycling company.
The tub has also received Conventional Plastic Free certification and is expected to achieve home compostability certification by 2025.
Beginning in Austria with the Flora Plant brand in late 2023, the rollout will eventually apply to other Upfield brands like Rama and BlueBand. The company hopes that up to two billion plastic tubs will be replaced by 2030, and that it can achieve an 80% reduction in plastic across its portfolio within the same time frame.
“As the global leader in plant-based foods, we take our responsibility to make a positive impact on the world seriously,” said David Haines, Group CEO for Upfield. “Globally, 40% of all plastic produced is for packaging that is used once and then discarded, it is clear that the issue of plastic waste is one of the most critical facing our environment.
“When we established Upfield, innovating our way out of plastic tubs was our moon-shot and I am very proud of all Upfielders that contributed to this success.
“Consumers today demand products that benefit both people and the planet. Our plant-based butters and spreads do exactly that. We’re excited about the potential to launch this across our most iconic brands in some of our most important markets.”
Karina Cerdeira, head of Packaging for Upfield, commented: “We are proud to have created with Footprint an innovative paper-based tub that is durable, leak-proof and appealing, which many thought would be impossible with paper. But after years of dedicated focus from joint Upfield and Footprint R&D teams and dozens of prototypes, we made the impossible, possible.
“This new paper tub marks a true milestone for sustainable packaging that significantly minimizes reliance on plastic. We will continue pushing boundaries through further innovation to adapt for compostability, develop new sizes and formats, and refine towards the optimal solution. We hope what we’ve achieved inspires other businesses to keep pursuing positive change.”
“Footprint’s commitment to a more sustainable planet is showcased through our partnership with Upfield,” added Yoke Chung, co-founder and chief Technology & Innovation officer for Footprint. “The introduction of a ground-breaking solution, in collaboration with Upfield, establishes a pioneering industry standard.
“This marks the introduction of the first oil-resistant paper tub for plant-based spreads. We are proud to collaborate with Upfield on this transformative endeavour, as it resonates with our shared objective of assisting customers in realizing their sustainability goals.
“This collaborative effort underscores the transformative influence of innovation in fostering positive environmental change to shape a brighter future for everyone.”
The development comes after Flora unified its brand identity late last year. The redesign intends to capture Flora’s commitment to protecting people and the plant via its plant-based alternative to dairy butter.
Sirane has also expanded its ‘Earth Packaging’ range with a plastic-free, recyclable butter wrap made from paper, providing a range of different barrier options.
Thermal-inkjet technology aka TIJ enables one-of-a-kind, on-demand customization including consumer-engaging personalization for brands across the packaging spectrum.
Digital printing is opening new customization options for brands through unique designs, personalized messages, and variable data printing for exciting and, literally, one-of-a-kind packaged products.
In short, the power of print-on-demand enables a brand’s packaging to stand out from the pack while enhancing consumer engagement.
But there’s another world of customized personalization found in HP’s thermal inkjet (TIJ) technology. John Meiling, HP’s senior director of marketing & category management, OEM inkjet for specialty printing solutions, unpacks the technology and options for digital inkjet printing for labels and other packaging materials.
What interest are you seeing in personalization using digital printing?
Meiling: Personalization is increasingly a mainstream expectation for consumers today. And it’s not just targeted ads and email marketing strategies that need to adapt. Consumers are actively seeking out bespoke product offerings because of the value they bring. According to data from Deloitte, personalization leaders improved customer loyalty 1.5x more effectively than brands with low personalization maturity.
The stakes are high for packaging as a result. It’s no longer about transporting goods from point A to point B. Packaging has become a unique moment for brands to establish a connection by creating an emotional and meaningful experience for their consumers. This is largely in part due to the rise in ecommerce over recent years, elevating packaging’s role as the first physical touch point between the consumer and brand, causing a significant shift in packaging trends.
Brands are especially interested in digital packaging as a new way to personalize, customize, and tailor their brand experiences in a way that reflects a full spectrum of cultural contexts. This means products can be tailored to the individual tastes of each consumer. Brands can not only engage customers on a more meaningful level by boosting marketing power though attractive specialty packaging, by using HP Thermal Inkjet technology they can help to reduce maintenance costs and gain efficiencies that drive higher uptime on their packaging manufacturing processes.
Tell us about the B.a.o Candy Box point-of-purchase application (shown in the feature image above) that uses digital inkjet printing.
Meiling: B.a.o Candy Box went live in 2019 with an Afinia Label L301 Small Business Color Label Printer. Powered by HP Thermal Inkjet Technology, it prints labels at high speeds while ensuring great quality. Personalization is achieved using the Afinia Label L301’s vivid, optimized color, to create a professional label, while HP Thermal Inkjet Technology enables the printer to produce the complex, personalized shapes that the candy labels require to satisfy consumers.
Using this system, B.a.o Candy Box customers type their message into an app, preview the label, confirm, then the label is sent via Wi-Fi straight to the till where the label is displayed on a screen so that the customer can approve their label design and then it is printed automatically. The time it takes to complete the transaction is enough to print the label, which is what champions the effectiveness of this system.
The Afinia Label printer was set up in such a way that the brand could offer new products on an ongoing basis, enabling constant innovation with the upgrade to an even faster printer, which will further improve customer satisfaction.
The HP Thermal Inkjet Technology is essential for making the brand’s retail model work properly, with packaging labels printed quickly and professionally. With this unique retail experience, B.a.o Candy Box has attracted huge interest both from tourists and the local market, who have taken to social media to share their creations.HP
What can you share about a more recent application of digital inkjet printing for craft distillers that went live in 2022?
Meiling: Craft distiller customers of AT Information Products’ have seen how this print system can completely transform their production process, saving them time and money while bolstering their bottom line. Using HP Thermal Inkjet Technology to enable personalization, craft distillers have been able to optimize their brand experience by providing genuine packaging for their consumers.
AT Information Products’ Reel-to-Reel Label Printer system features multiple compact HP TIJ print heads and solvent ink cartridges. The system is durable, low maintenance, and easy for brands to use. The HP Thermal Inkjet within the system enables the addition of graphic imagery, signatures, logos, and QR codes that fulfill consumers demand for personalization and ultimately, boost profit for brands.
The combination of the two increase production speeds by as much as 2,000%, reducing the need for manual intervention, optimizing print quality on diverse substrates, and minimizing maintenance costs all while enabling distillers to achieve exclusivity value for their products. Within the process, personalized signatures can also be applied using True Type fonts, to make it look like the labels on the bottles were handwritten.
As additional data, graphics, logos, and signatures are developed, craft distillers will be able to stay nimble while optimizing print quality and minimizing costs. Focusing on adding brand value has been an important “lever” that craft distillers continue to pull to further boost bottle prices and increase profit margins.HP
What are examples of what other digital inkjet printing customers are doing?
Meiling: Back in 2017, Kmart Australia began using Afinia Label’s L301 Color Label printer, powered by HP thermal inkjet technology, to personalize Vegemite and Nutella jars at the point of sale for their holiday campaign activation. Across 214 stores, customers were able to walk in and personalize the labeling on jars of Nutella and Vegemite, creating a unique shopping experience and driving foot traffic to brick-and-mortar stores. All powered by HP’s flexible and affordable in-store printing solutions.
HP’s Fixed Imager 1000 (FI-1000) based partner printing systems are seeing fast growth, especially for short-runs and on-demand customization. New partner TICAB has integrated HP’s inkjet print engine to drive cost efficiencies for customized printing tasks on various paper packaging, including shopping bags, cartons, and corrugated boxes. The system was developed quickly in just a few months, allowing TICAB to offer its customers high-quality printing options at cost-competitive prices, from one-off items and samples to print runs of several thousand. This innovation can accommodate various personalization needs like for weddings and birthdays while offering significant value to smaller brands and businesses because paper bags typically require very high volumes per order.
What’s possible and what’s next in digital inkjet printing?
Meiling: As the world becomes more digitally connected, and consumers come to expect personalization as the norm, the market for solutions that enable customization at a mass scale will explode. In the coming years, it will be critical for brands to do more to engage with their consumers. It’s the only way to stand out in today’s crowded markets, and we are excited to help even more brands on their journey to embrace the unlimited possibilities with new and exciting packaging that brings us all closer together.
Elopak has unveiled a new film examining the role of beverage cartons in providing a more sustainable future for the packaging industry. The film has been made for Elopak as part of a series presented by FoodDrinkEurope and produced by BBC Storyworks Commercial Productions called Food for Thought. The series highlights sustainable innovations in the food and drink industry that offer fresh solutions to feed the next generation.
Elopak’s film examines how cartons can provide a natural and sustainable alternative to plastic bottles. It spotlights one of the company’s most popular innovations, the Pure-Pak® carton made with Natural Brown Board. These cartons are manufactured with unbleached paper fibres, leading to a reduced carbon footprint since unbleached fibres are stronger and so less material is needed to produce the paper board.
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) studies have repeatedly demonstrated Elopak cartons’ environmental benefits when compared to other types of packaging for liquid food[1]. For example, an LCA study in 2021 showed that cartons have a 60% smaller carbon footprint than a PET bottle. This figure increases to 73% for beverage cartons made with Natural Brown Board[2].
The film showcases Elopak’s commitment to leading the plastic to carton conversion, offering consumers a natural alternative to plastic packaging that aims to leave the product unchanged and the planet unharmed.
Speaking in the film, Håvard Grande Urhamar, Senior Manager Board Development at Elopak said: “If you do something you should do it right and we know our product is the most sustainable option compared to plastic.”
The mini documentary also features Elopak’s customer Rørosmeieriet, a renowned organic dairy in Norway that offers high quality, sustainably sourced traditional products. Rørosmeieriet was the first Norwegian Elopak customer to choose Pure-Pak® cartons made with Natural Brown Board, making them an ideal collaborator for the mini-documentary.
Trond Wilhelm Lund, CEO of Rørosmeieriet, says that his company and Elopak have a shared vision for sustainability. “We want to develop Rørosmeieriet every day in harmony with nature… So when Elopak wants to take steps in the right direction, Rørosmeieriet wants to be a part of that,” he explains in a piece to camera.
The film is available to view on the Elopak website or at BBC Storyworks’ dedicated ‘Food for Thought’ series page.
For more information, go to elopak.com or follow us @Pure_Pak on Twitter and @Elopak on LinkedIn.
Nestle’s long-established milkshake brand Nesquik has revamped its branding, working with designers at FutureBrand.
The focus of the new design is Nesquik’s mascot Quicky, which has been reimagined for a digital future. With a focus on purpose and relevance.
FutureBrand said it looked to the ‘phygital’ world that the next generation play in for inspiration, drawing on cues from computer animation films and the gaming industry to bring contemporary relevance and real longevity.
The agency also created a bespoke typeface called Nesquik Sans, with the aesthetic reflecting the brand’s playful and fun personality – and the new logo features an animated milk splash.
Stephen McGilvray, executive creative director, FutureBrand said the new packaging for Nesquik is bold and has a real presence on the shelf, with a simplified packaging design system.
“We knew we needed to make Quicky a true icon for the brand once more, and by evolving his character we’ve opened the door for him to engage with new audiences and flex to new product lines. Creating ‘Quicky’s World’ and taking him into fresh new territory has been so rewarding and we can’t wait to see him brought to life across pack and online.”
A new recyclable vegetable packaging made of Paptic® material has been awarded a ScanStar in a Nordic packaging design competition organised by the Scandinavian Packaging Association.
The awarded packaging solution for Puukin Tila was developed to replace plastic in vegetable packaging end-use. It is a soft and durable pouch, enhancing the brand value, expanding the current sustainable packaging window and in addition, the vegetables stay fresh longer. The Paptic® material is cellulose-based, recyclable, moisture resistant, and well convertable with the existing package production lines.
The competition entry package was invented when Paptic Ltd and Marvaco Ltd joined forces to respond to a call from Puukin Tila to replace plastic in onion packaging. Paptic®, fiber-based material, and Marvaco Expanded Gamut Printing with Flint Group C2C inks made the new, truly sustainable vegetable packaging possible. In the optimized packaging, all sustainability aspects were considered, including the substrate, design, printing, and inks.
The competition jury valued that there is potential to use this solution in other packaging applications than only in vegetable packaging. It has good printability and replaces plastic in packaging.
The awarded solution was developed to keep the products fresh for longer and to minimize packaging waste
Paptic® is a wood-fiber based substrate to replace plastics in packaging. The lightweight material is soft, with excellent puncture and tear resistance and heat sealability properties. Katja Jokiaho, Head of Sales from Paptic, clarifies: “Many products are overpackaged because there are no alternatives to plastic-based solutions. Various products benefit from being packed in breathable materials.”
Sustainability was taken into notice also in the packaging layout design. “Our aim was to create a simple, sustainable design for onions by reducing ink consumption and the number of colours used in printing”, explains Mirva Koskinen, Brand Sales Manager at Marvaco. We minimized the number of inks to only three colours, but still, the colorful design was possible due to the process of printing. With Flint Group’s water-based ink offering, we were able to eliminate the use of heavy metals and minimize waste. The Cradle-to-Cradle Gold-status certified inks offer industrial compostability. Despite the environmentally wiser choices, the desired colourful design was achieved.
Petri Puukki, the owner of Puukin Tila, is satisfied with the results: “We wanted to make a difference and pack our locally produced onions in a sustainable way. The material selection keeps the onions fresh for longer and the new packaging also looks fresh!” The project was completed in just a few months.
Bristol-based design studio Outlaw has recently revamped plant-based snacking brand packs from Eat Real.
Under the new brand positioning ‘Relishing the Alternative’, the brand is focussing on plant-based snacking.
The new refreshed packs highlight the culinary ingredients and artisanal food experiences.
The design highlights both its delicious flavour combinations and better-for-you credentials, including vegan and gluten-free.
Helen Pomphrey, Eat Real marketing director, said: “Using bright bold colours and showcasing our mouth-watering ingredients on-pack, the new look and feel is set to bring excitement to the range, whilst also bringing the bold flavours to life.”
A tighter focus on the separate businesses will enable each to “unlock their full potential.” What might this mean for packaging?
n June 21, two days ago, Kellogg announced it will be separating into three independent public companies, names to come later, so each can better focus on its specific business:
Global Snacking Co. — fueled by some of the company’s top brands, like Pringles, Nutri Grain, Town House, and Cheez-It. Estimated net annual sales: $11.4 billion.
North America Cereal Co. — the cereals you know and love, such as Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Special K, and Kashi. Estimated net annual sales: $2.4 billion.
Plant Co. — anchored by the MorningStar Farms brand. Estimated net annual sales: $340 million. In the video, Kellogg Chairman/CEO Steve Cahillane admits one possibility is this company might then be sold.
According to Kellogg, the new companies “will all be leaders in their categories, and as standalone businesses, each will have an enhanced focus and will be better able to direct its resources toward its distinct strategic priorities, enabling all three to unlock their full potential.”
Kellogg anticipates that the cereal business might be the first to spin off; followed by the plant-based business. Both are expected to be complete by the end of 2023. In the press release, Kellogg explains that “The proposed spin-offs are intended to result in tax-free distributions of North America Cereal Co. and Plant Co. shares to Kellogg Co. shareowners.”
Plenty of opportunities for packaging staff.
What might this all mean for the brands’ packaging departments and the people working on centralized packaging functions that serve multiple brands, businesses, and/or locations?
A few more details first:
Locations will pretty much stay the same. North America Cereal Co. and Plant Co. will keep their headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan. Global Snacking Co. will be headquartered in Chicago but will maintain dual campuses in Battle Creek and Chicago. The headquarters of Kellogg Co.’s three international regions — Europe, Latin America, and Asia/Middle East/Africa (AMEA) — will stay where they currently are. My take: Few employees will be left behind because they will not be asked to relocate.
Among the reasons for making this move now is that the separate companies will be better able to execute specific strategies with “increased agility and operational flexibility, enabling more focused allocation of capital and resources in a manner consistent with those strategic priorities.”
According to Cahillane, each new company will prioritize different goals. Because of these priorities, I see different potential impacts for each company’s packaging department:
• Global Snacking Co. plans to focus on building brands and emerging markets. My take: Significant investment in marketing could mean career opportunities in packaging research and development, as well as graphic design. Packaging projects could lean more toward innovation — smart packaging, for example — rather than optimization plans.
• North America Cereal Co. will concentrate on regaining market share and expanding profit margins, with long-term attention to productivity. My take: Look for packaging line optimization and potential investment in new equipment technologies.
• Plant Co. will focus on building awareness and penetration in North America, with international expansion in the future. My take: Remember, one possibility is that this company may be sold. Typically, that means making the balance sheet look as enticing as possible by maximizing profits. And that usually means fewer investment dollars (especially for capital expenditures) and a tightening on expenses. But that status quo would shift decidedly if ownership is maintained.
Additionally, one of the benefits being touted in the press release for Kellogg employees could be more rewarding career opportunities in the new companies. My take: Overall, there probably will be more opportunities for advancement for current staff, as well as more new positions as the Kellogg centralized packaging functions will need to be added at the new companies.
Because these changes will probably open opportunities for packaging professionals, I appreciate and understand Cahillane’s enthusiasm for the future: “After 116 years in business, how cool it is that our best days are absolutely in front of us.”
The proposed Global Plastics Treaty draws more attention to the plastic waste situation around the world. But we need to be more innovative in our packaging solutions.
During the pandemic, the world created about 8 million tons of plastic waste, and most of it is now in the ocean. As one researcher described the problem while visiting a beach on one of the Canary Islands, “I walked up to the edge of the ocean where the waves were breaking on land, and then I looked down and every wave was full of plastic that I hadn’t seen, like confetti. The ocean is literally spitting this material back at us.”
The reality of microplastics is one of the reasons the United Nations (UN) has announced a new treaty, currently in discussions. With support from The Ellen Macarthur Foundation, the proposed treaty seeks to achieve their three founding principles:
During the pandemic, the world created about 8 million tons of plastic waste, and most of it is now in the ocean. As one researcher described the problem while visiting a beach on one of the Canary Islands, “I walked up to the edge of the ocean where the waves were breaking on land, and then I looked down and every wave was full of plastic that I hadn’t seen, like confetti. The ocean is literally spitting this material back at us.”
The reality of microplastics is one of the reasons the United Nations (UN) has announced a new treaty, currently in discussions. With support from The Ellen Macarthur Foundation, the proposed treaty seeks to achieve their three founding principles:https://17bfdc7340f9a8315dd46c29d95810b5.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
1. Eliminate all problematic and unnecessary plastic items we do not need.
2. Innovate to ensure that the plastics we do need are reusable, recyclable, or compostable.
3. Circulate all plastic items we use to keep them in the economy and out of the environment.
To date, the UN has passed a resolution on the proposed treaty titled “End Plastic Pollution.” The UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) Executive Director had this to say about it: “Today marks a triumph by planet earth over single-use plastic.”
In short, the resolution is simply an agreement to start discussions that will convene at the end of 2022.
Can the UN do this?
The UN body at the center of the treaty discussions, UNEP, held a meeting in Nairobi in March 2022, where 175 countries voted “yes” to the “End Plastic Pollution” resolution. The promises are impressive. According to a report on the meeting, a shift to a circular economy can do the following:
● Reduce the volume of plastics entering the oceans by more than 80% by 2040; ● Reduce virgin plastic production by 55%; ● Save governments $700 billion (US dollars) by 2040; ● Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25%; ● Create 700,000 new jobs — mainly in the global south.
To date, I’ve been unable to find affirmation of the above claims, or how the stats were reached.
The resolution’s aim is to enforce a “legally binding instrument.” When I read that, I thought … what does that mean? Can the UN mandate or enforce “laws” on sovereign countries? Can they impose laws on corporations that do business globally?
Treaty effectiveness.
Treaties are a fuzzy area. But the focus seems to be primarily on single-use plastic items. Brands, activists, and governments agree that these are the worst culprits. But before defining the best way forward, let’s take a quick reality check on treaties.
The Council on Foreign Relations noted in a recent piece that the Kyoto Protocol of 1997 was the first “legally binding” climate treaty. It required countries to lower emissions by an average of 5% below 1990 levels. Plus, a system was put in place to monitor countries’ compliance. But the treaty did not include major polluting nations India or China. The US signed on to the resolution but later withdrew.
Similar story with The Paris Agreement. It required all countries to make emission-reduction pledges. In short, countries pledged to meet goals that prevented the global average temperature from rising 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels. The agreement also aimed to reach net zero emissions by the second half of the century. Every five years, countries are supposed to assess their progress. By the way, countries set their own targets, and there are no mechanisms to ensure they meet them. As most know, the US pulled out of the Paris Agreement under the last administration and is in the process of resuming membership. Whether the government ratifies the treaty is yet to be determined.
In addition to the Paris Agreement and Kyoto Protocol, there are other climate treaties that bear scrutiny. A 2021 report on climate treaties cited four global climate “agreements” that were never ratified. These include:
1. The Law of The Sea: This UN Convention set an international framework for managing and protecting the oceans. It was first launched in 1982, signed in 1994, and then never ratified.
2. The Convention on Biological Diversity: Once called “the world’s best weapon in fighting the extinction crisis.” President Bill Clinton signed the resolution; however, it never received the necessary ratification. Still not ratified.
3. The Stockholm Convention: This treaty was designed to protect the environment from harmful chemicals. Today, the treaty regulates nearly 30 harmful chemicals. This means the signers must restrict or ban use of these chemicals in their countries—or come up with strategies to properly dispose of sites contaminated by these chemicals. To date, the U.S. has yet to ratify the treaty.
4. The Basel Convention: This international treaty limits the movement of hazardous waste (including radioactive materials) between nations. It was written to prevent richer nations from shipping waste that can’t be recycled to other countries. The US has not yet ratified.
According to the Oceanic Society: “The push for the “End Plastic Pollution” treaty has the support of more than three quarters of the UN member states, including the US. Other signatories include global brands, such as Coca-Cola, IKEA, L’Oréal, PepsiCo, Philips, Starbucks, Unilever, Walmart, and many more.
But here’s the thing: Brands have been innovating with sustainable packaging for a long time now. The focus, in my opinion, needs to be around more than recyclable or reusable options, but around a game-changing infrastructure that keeps plastic from ever reaching the oceans in the first place.
During the pandemic, the world created about 8 million tons of plastic waste, and most of it is now in the ocean. As one researcher described the problem while visiting a beach on one of the Canary Islands, “I walked up to the edge of the ocean where the waves were breaking on land, and then I looked down and every wave was full of plastic that I hadn’t seen, like confetti. The ocean is literally spitting this material back at us.”
The reality of microplastics is one of the reasons the United Nations (UN) has announced a new treaty, currently in discussions. With support from The Ellen Macarthur Foundation, the proposed treaty seeks to achieve their three founding principles:https://17bfdc7340f9a8315dd46c29d95810b5.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
1. Eliminate all problematic and unnecessary plastic items we do not need.
2. Innovate to ensure that the plastics we do need are reusable, recyclable, or compostable.
3. Circulate all plastic items we use to keep them in the economy and out of the environment.
To date, the UN has passed a resolution on the proposed treaty titled “End Plastic Pollution.” The UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) Executive Director had this to say about it: “Today marks a triumph by planet earth over single-use plastic.”
In short, the resolution is simply an agreement to start discussions that will convene at the end of 2022.
Can the UN do this?
The UN body at the center of the treaty discussions, UNEP, held a meeting in Nairobi in March 2022, where 175 countries voted “yes” to the “End Plastic Pollution” resolution. The promises are impressive. According to a report on the meeting, a shift to a circular economy can do the following:
● Reduce the volume of plastics entering the oceans by more than 80% by 2040; ● Reduce virgin plastic production by 55%; ● Save governments $700 billion (US dollars) by 2040; ● Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25%; ● Create 700,000 new jobs — mainly in the global south.
To date, I’ve been unable to find affirmation of the above claims, or how the stats were reached.
The resolution’s aim is to enforce a “legally binding instrument.” When I read that, I thought … what does that mean? Can the UN mandate or enforce “laws” on sovereign countries? Can they impose laws on corporations that do business globally?
Treaty effectiveness.
Treaties are a fuzzy area. But the focus seems to be primarily on single-use plastic items. Brands, activists, and governments agree that these are the worst culprits. But before defining the best way forward, let’s take a quick reality check on treaties.
The Council on Foreign Relations noted in a recent piece that the Kyoto Protocol of 1997 was the first “legally binding” climate treaty. It required countries to lower emissions by an average of 5% below 1990 levels. Plus, a system was put in place to monitor countries’ compliance. But the treaty did not include major polluting nations India or China. The US signed on to the resolution but later withdrew.
Similar story with The Paris Agreement. It required all countries to make emission-reduction pledges. In short, countries pledged to meet goals that prevented the global average temperature from rising 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels. The agreement also aimed to reach net zero emissions by the second half of the century. Every five years, countries are supposed to assess their progress. By the way, countries set their own targets, and there are no mechanisms to ensure they meet them. As most know, the US pulled out of the Paris Agreement under the last administration and is in the process of resuming membership. Whether the government ratifies the treaty is yet to be determined.
In addition to the Paris Agreement and Kyoto Protocol, there are other climate treaties that bear scrutiny. A 2021 report on climate treaties cited four global climate “agreements” that were never ratified. These include:
1. The Law of The Sea: This UN Convention set an international framework for managing and protecting the oceans. It was first launched in 1982, signed in 1994, and then never ratified.
2. The Convention on Biological Diversity: Once called “the world’s best weapon in fighting the extinction crisis.” President Bill Clinton signed the resolution; however, it never received the necessary ratification. Still not ratified.
3. The Stockholm Convention: This treaty was designed to protect the environment from harmful chemicals. Today, the treaty regulates nearly 30 harmful chemicals. This means the signers must restrict or ban use of these chemicals in their countries—or come up with strategies to properly dispose of sites contaminated by these chemicals. To date, the U.S. has yet to ratify the treaty.
4. The Basel Convention: This international treaty limits the movement of hazardous waste (including radioactive materials) between nations. It was written to prevent richer nations from shipping waste that can’t be recycled to other countries. The US has not yet ratified.
According to the Oceanic Society: “The push for the “End Plastic Pollution” treaty has the support of more than three quarters of the UN member states, including the US. Other signatories include global brands, such as Coca-Cola, IKEA, L’Oréal, PepsiCo, Philips, Starbucks, Unilever, Walmart, and many more.
But here’s the thing: Brands have been innovating with sustainable packaging for a long time now. The focus, in my opinion, needs to be around more than recyclable or reusable options, but around a game-changing infrastructure that keeps plastic from ever reaching the oceans in the first place.
People tend to think that many companies have shifted to using more plastic packaging just because it’s cheaper. It is cheaper, but there are other good reasons why we rely more and more on plastic packaging. Plastic is durable and provides protection from contaminants and the elements. It reduces food waste by preserving food and increasing shelf life. It protects food against pests, microbes, and humidity.
Without this protection, food is more likely to get damaged and become unusable. Since food waste contributes to climate change, water and energy consumption, deforestation, and biodiversity loss, every effort we make to mitigate those effects makes a big difference, and plastic packaging helps make that possible.
That said, look at what brands are doing to innovate and address the problem of single-use plastic packaging.
Big brands are ahead of the game.
Most, if not all, of the big consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs) have made commitments to reduce plastic waste. And the efforts have been in flow for over the past two decades. Some notable names include:
McDonald’s Corp.: A recent post highlights its progress on reducing plastic waste. Among the “Progress Highlights,” McDonalds says that “80% of our guest packaging comes from renewable, recycled, or certified sources.” McDonald’s also pledged to phase out the use of fossil-fuel based plastics in its Happy Meal toys by 2025. The company intends to use more paper and recyclable plastics.
IKEA: The popular home goods retailer, a signatory to the UN “End Plastic Pollution” resolution, has not only committed to use only recycled or reusable plastic products by 2030, it has taken it a step further. It is phasing out single-use plastic, such as plates, cups, and plastic straws. And, it is experimenting with more sustainable plastic sources, such as corn, sugar beets, and sugar cane.
Unilever: In keeping with UNEP’s resolution, Unilever is pioneering refillables with 11 of its most popular brands — delivered at pump stations in retail stores where consumers can refill reusable containers. Unilever is also a founder of The Pulpex Consortium, a partnership of industry members who have developed game-changing technology to produce the world’s first paper-based laundry detergent bottle made from sustainably sourced pulp and designed to be recycled.
Small brands are innovating, too.
Pela: Meet the “world’s first compostable phone case.” Phone cases may not be single use, but they are disposed of in great numbers. Pela promises 80% less waste production. The company offers sunglasses, watch straps, and AirPods cases.
ONYA: Here’s a compostable (non-plastic) dog poop bag, certified compostable to international standards. ONYA also makes bin liners, coffee cups, drink bottle jackets, pet collars, and other compostable and reusable items.
Cleaning up plastic waste will take a unified effort.
A recent report from the World Economic Forum made a series of recommendations on how to address the rising threat plastic represents to our environment. Here are some of the points that focus on reducing the rate of plastic waste leakage:
• Create an effective after-use plastics economy. The mission? Provide a direct economic incentive to avoid leakage of plastic waste into natural systems.
• Radically increase the economics, quality, and update of recycling. Develop a global plastics protocol to set the bar for redesign of materials and after-use systems, improve collection and sorting, and reprocessing technologies.
• Scale the adoption of reusable packaging. Create solutions for business-to-business and consumer applications.
• Scale up the adoption of compostable packaging for targeted applications. These can include garbage bags for organic waste and food packaging for events and fast-food restaurants, canteens, and other closed systems.
• Improve after-use collection.Current plastic packaging offers great functional benefits, but it has an inherent design failure: Its life is typically less than one year and the material lives on for centuries, which is particularly damaging if it leaks outside collection systems, as happens today with 32% of plastic packaging. The ambitious objective is to develop “bio-benign” plastic packaging that reduces the negative impacts on natural systems when leaked, while also being recyclable and competitive in terms of functionality and costs. Today’s biodegradable plastics rarely measure up, as they are typically compostable only under controlled conditions (such as, in industrial composters). Further research and game-changing innovations are needed.
Whatever happened to reducing and reusing?
Every kid remembers the iconic image — the reduce, reuse, recycle symbol featuring the blue circular shape with arrows. Yet these days only one of the directives is focused on — recycling. The fact is, we simply cannot recycle our way into a sustainable future. There are a lot of myths about recycling that are not true. Today, most food and beverage packaging ends up in either a landfill, an incinerator, or the environment. More recycling will not solve the plastic pollution problem.
So, while I applaud the UN for taking a leap with this initiative, it’s time our industry agrees that the solution is not in recycling. It’s in innovations that negate the need for recycling and shift focus to sustainable packaging and plastic reduction. I salute the innovations made by designers who are embracing new materials, such as sugar cane and other biodegradable solutions. I also think reusability will make a significant comeback now that COVID-19 is (hopefully) receding.
Oh, and one last word on the UN treaty makers: A recent photo shows the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres — a major supporter of the “End Plastic Pollution” resolution treaty — exiting his gas-guzzling private plane for an environmental summit … or could it be all-electric? Just saying.
