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...

Revealing the UK's plastic crisis

The Big Plastic Count survey, organised by Greenpeace and Everyday Plastic , shows alarming rates of plastic waste in the UK. (Notably not counting other materials though)

• UK households discard an estimated 90 billion pieces of plastic packaging annually.
• The UK ranks second globally in plastic waste per person, with households throwing away an estimated 1.7 billion pieces of plastic weekly.
• Despite recycling efforts, significant portions of plastic waste (58% incinerated, 11% landfill, 14% exported) end up in other countries with poorer recycling infrastructure.
• Over half (58%) of household plastic waste is incinerated in the UK, which has gone up from 46% in 2022.

Source: The Big Plastic Count

Insights from European consumers: Environmental attitudes and packaging preferences

A study conducted by Pro Carton - The association of carton and cartonboard manufacturers surveyed over 5,000 European consumers on their environmental attitudes and packaging perceptions.

• 68% of survey respondents say climate change is the biggest environmental factor in our lives today.
• 71% said that recycling more will help reduce climate change
• 87.1% of survey respondents say they would choose carton board over plastic if given the choice between the two.
• 70% said that being easy to recycle was the most important packaging feature, and 48% said packaging made from renewable materials.
• On average, survey respondents of all ages said they would pay an extra 5.4% for a product that had less impact on the environment.

Source: Pro Carton

Global consensus on plastic pollution

An 益普索 poll, commissioned by WWF and the Plastic Free July , highlights global public demand for banning single-use plastics and hazardous chemicals in plastics.

• On average, across 32 countries, 90% agree to global rules banning chemicals used in plastic that are hazardous to human health and the environment.
• 87% agree that it's essential/important to reduce global plastic production.
• 87% advocate for banning types of plastic not easily recyclable in all countries where they are used.
• 85% emphasize the importance of banning unnecessary single-use plastic products like shopping bags and cutlery.
• Almost three in four (73%) support establishing clear consequences for governments breaking the rules of the upcoming UN treaty to end plastic pollution.

Source: Ipsos

Breaking it down: a study on compostable packaging disintegration

The report, conducted by Composting Consortium the led by the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners , examined the disintegration of certified food-contact compostable packaging in diverse composting environments over an 18-month period, testing over 23,000 units across 10 composting facilities in the U.S.

• The food-contact compostable packaging market in the U.S. is expected to grow annually by 16% until 2032.
• Approximately 70% of food processing composters in the U.S. accept and process some form of food-contact compostable packaging,
• Compostable plastic packaging achieved an impressive 98% on average by surface area across various composting methods and facilities.
• Compostable fibre packaging achieved an average disintegration of 83% on average by surface area across various composting methods and facilities.

Source: Composting Consortium

Until next time, happy innovating!