ThePackHub Weekly Snapshot Update

This is our account of the world of packaging innovation, focusing on recently published packaging research and studies.?Managing Director Paul Jenkins will continue to provide lots of news and views via his LinkedIn weekly newsletter (make sure you also subscribe).

We focus on some of the more interesting packaging studies coming to ThePackHub 's attention each week. So here goes...

Easter Waste Unveiled

The Waste Managed study reveals noteworthy figures of expenditure, chocolate wastage, and packaging discard during the Easter celebrations in the UK, highlighting the pressing need for sustainable practices during this festive period.

• ￡415 million spent on Easter eggs in the UK in 2023 alone.
• 3,000 tonnes of chocolate wasted during Easter celebrations, equivalent to 230 double-decker buses.
• 4,370 tonnes of cardboard and 160 tonnes of foil packaging were discarded as Easter waste in the UK last year.
• 59% of UK adults perceive Easter packaging as excessive.
• The UK consumes the equivalent of 3.3 million plastic water bottles in plastic packaging for Easter eggs annually.

Source: Waste Managed

Consumer preferences for minimal packaging in online orders: insights from a recent study in India

亚马逊 's study reveals a strong preference among Indian adults for minimal packaging in online orders, driving the company's efforts to reduce packaging materials and enhance sustainability initiatives.

• 69% of Indian adults prefer online orders without additional delivery packaging
• 55% of respondents express satisfaction with minimal packaging.
• Amazon reports an 83% reduction in orders sent without added delivery packaging since 2021.
• Amazon's outbound packaging weight per shipment has decreased by an average of 41% since 2015.
• Amazon's European fulfilment network now uses 100% recyclable delivery packaging for all customer orders.

Source: Global Data

Consumer polling reveals concerns over excessive packaging and calls for clearer labelling

Consumer polling by YouGov highlights widespread concern over excessive packaging and strong support for clearer labelling and reduced packaging mandates.

• 71% of adults believe supermarkets and retailers use excessive packaging.
• 88% advocate for recyclable materials with clearer labelling.
• 52% trust councils to handle waste and recycling services, compared to 8% for industry and 6% for government.
• 85% feel the government should mandate reduced packaging.
• More than half of the public struggles to understand whether packaging is recyclable.

Source: YouGov

Challenges and prospects: German plastics manufacturing industry's downturn in 2023

The German plastics manufacturing industry experienced a notable decline in 2023, attributed to factors like high energy prices and increased labour costs, raising concerns about the industry's future despite hopes for regulatory support to stimulate production.

• The decline in German plastics manufacturing resulted in sales falling by 21.9%.
• Demand for plastics in Germany decreased by 16%.
• Plastics production is expected to remain around 25% below 2022 levels in 2024.
• European paper and board production lowered.
• The decline in aluminium production in Germany during the third quarter of 2023.

Source: Plastic Europe

Until next time, happy innovating!