Colpac Comments: The Complexity of Sustainability Credentials for International Packaging Manufacturers
Colpac Ltd
British designer & manufacturer of a creative & comprehensive range of #sustainable #foodpackaging solutions
It is widely understood that we should all do more to reduce our impact on the environment. Disposable food packaging has attracted a huge amount of media attention in recent years and has therefore become an area of focus for consumers. According to Pro Carton, 90% of shoppers would like information about the environmental credentials of packaging [1].
Minimising single-use plastic and designing products using recyclable, compostable, and recycled materials support the drive towards reduce, re-use, and recycle, but how can international packaging manufacturers best inform consumers of accurate sustainability credentials?
Complexity of Sustainability Credentials
Rightly so, designers and manufacturers are in the spotlight to take more accountability for encouraging the responsible disposal of products after use. However, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to this, due to significant complexities in sustainability legislation and waste streams across the globe.
Colpac sells paperboard food packaging in over sixty countries, all of which are at different stages of legislating national recycling and composting directives. Such directives differ for each nation, and even in some cases regionally within country, meaning there is no single recycling or composting instruction for a piece of packaging. Varying plastic percentage thresholds, recycling processes, composting facilities, and waste collection schemes make this process increasingly complex.
Research from WRAP tells us that 88% of UK households regularly recycle [2] but is this enough? Further research from, WRAP’s Recycling Tracker highlights that 87% of UK households recycle items which are not accepted, and 57% miss items that can be recycled [3]. The lack of consistency in waste collection and recycling guidelines causes confusion, resulting in missed capture. This topic has therefore been selected as the theme of Recycle Week 2023 and demonstrates the need for clear, consistent messaging.
Colpac's Solution
Colpac is a UK based food packaging manufacturer , so uses the UK’s On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL ) guidelines as the basis of its recycling information, and the EN13432 European standard for its composting information. However, recycling guidelines for other countries in which Colpac sells must now also be accessible. Therefore, printing a single recycling or composting logo on packs is not enough.
Quick Response (QR) codes and specific recycling instructions are being printed on Colpac packaging. The information is available for national recycling schemes in the UK, France, and Italy to date. Guidance is displayed in local languages to inform end users of how to best dispose of packaging. QR codes are linked to dynamic webpages which can host more detailed information than can be printed on packs, and can be easily updated, future proofing the format. The credentials can also be accessed via each product page on Colpac’s website.
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European Sustainability Regulations
Europe is a key market, where 83% of paper and cardboard packaging is being recycled [4]. European countries have begun to legislate the sharing of recycling and composting information on packaging. Italy was the first to establish this and accept the use of QR codes to provide such information. This method simplifies the printing requirements on packs and enables data to be updated at any time due to it being hosted digitally.
However, France has introduced its national Triman system which, like the UK OPRL guidelines, must be printed directly onto packaging. This creates additional complexities and costs for packaging manufacturers, around on-pack space, artwork creation, and print set up, as well as adding unnecessary print and materials.
Consistency for International Packaging Manufacturers
Colpac calls for national bodies to accept dynamic solutions, such as QR codes, to simplify the accessibility of the latest sustainability credentials. OPRL research shows that consumers find multiple recycling labels on packaging confusing [5]. Colpac’s layout is clear for consumers to understand, displaying information for each country in relevant local languages. Methods such as this also enable a multitude of differing regulations to be collated in one place, streamlining information sharing for manufacturers.
Providing sustainable food packaging is at the core of Colpac’s ethos, having focused on the design and manufacture of paperboard food packaging for many years. Sustainable sourcing and investment in the testing and development of recyclable and compostable materials is central to this, alongside educating customers and the wider industry about the true impact of food packaging.
The desire to reduce impact is evident across food packaging manufacturers, retailers, food service providers, and consumers, but the implementation of solutions could be simplified if legislation were consolidated and standardised across nations. Dynamic solutions will give manufacturers the best chance of providing accurate, up-to-date information to customers and consumers. In turn, consumer action is more likely to be correct, missed capture is likely to reduce, and recycling and composting rates are more likely to improve.
For more details about Colpac’s commitment to sustainability, visit: https://colpacpackaging.com/sustainable-food-packaging/
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