Reducing packaging saves money
June 1st 2006

As food and drink manufacturers face strict legislation governing the reduction of packaging, Envirowise programme director, Dr Martin Gibson, discusses how the industry should seize this opportunity to re-consider the role of design in packaging to optimise resource efficiency – and save money

The Producer Responsibility (Packaging Waste) Obligations require businesses to take responsibility for recovering 70% of packaging by 2010. It is up to the packaging producers to meet the costs of achieving this objective, without compromising the integrity of the end product.

But, while food manufacturers may have already looked at how they can recover and recycle their existing packaging, there are lasting cost benefits that could also be realised by reducing the amount of materials used in the first place, and becoming more resource efficient.

Packaging can represent a significant proportion of a company's production overheads – costs that can easily be reduced by minimising in-process packaging waste and by making changes to the type of packaging and methods of use.

And with petrol prices edging towards a record £1 per litre, reducing or re-designing materials can help optimise pallet loads, enabling businesses to combat rising transport costs by moving a larger volume of goods at any one time.

One of the major ways that Envirowise can help food and drink manufacturers is by advising them how to make changes to the design of the packaging itself.

Although many businesses believe that more packaging equals increased product protection, this is often not the case. It is possible to effectively 'design out'waste from packaging, ensuring it is fit for purpose and can cope with the demands of production, distribution and storage, but reduce the amount of raw material used to produce it.

Envirowise has published a series of case studies that demonstrate how companies have gone about this, including a compendium of examples in GG411: Packaging reduction saves money: industry examples. These case studies are supported by a comprehensive guide to design in GG360R: Packaging design for the environment: reducing costs and quantities.

To get started, Envirowise recommends the following tips to reduce packaging costs:

• Undertake an initial review to assess how products are currently packaged and how much packaging is actually required.

  Companies often find it is possible to design-out an unnecessary layer of packaging

• Use simple measures to reduce the need for padding and fillers, such as drawing on air pressure or altering box design
• Ensure that pallet loads are fully utilised. Keep to ISO standard box footprints or invest in palletisation software to optimise the load
• Consider whether a box is necessary. In some cases, shrink wrap can be more efficient whilst offering the same level of protection of cardboard at 30% of the weight
• Re-use packaging where possible to save on material, transport and storage costs

Furthermore, designing packaging that generates less waste during production, distribution and at the end of life can also trigger innovations that lower the total cost of a product or improve its value – allowing food and drink manufacturers to become more competitive in the longer-term.

Envirowise provides a range of free guidance and help on packaging, including good practice guides and workshops. Some companies may also be eligible for a free, on-site designtrack visit.

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