Science & Innovation in
Packaging
Dick Searle
Chief Executive
The Packaging Federation
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The “Inconvenient Truths” of Packaging
 Packaging only exists because products exist
 First & foremost it’s a Delivery System for Products
 Its Primary Role is to contain, protect and preserve
 But it’s also a Primary Mechanism for Branding
 It’s very visible but little understood by consumers
 But its environmental impact is much, much less than
that of the damage that would arise without it
 And…Modern Society couldn’t function without it!!
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‘So why is there so much Packaging?’
 Demand for Packaging is created solely by the demand for
the products that it contains
 Consumers expect to have everything available 24/7 – only
possible with modern packaging
 Political & Media focus on packaging seems to be driven by
what consumers see in their bins
 And yet it’s consumer demand only that puts it there –
wonderful “disconnect”!
 It’s an inevitable and necessary feature of modern living
 And yet its existence is consistently attacked
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So What About The Future?
 The World faces an unprecedented challenge to feed itself
 Global warming is expected to substantially reduce the
availability of land for growing food
 Increased productivity and waste prevention at all stages will
be absolutely key – and not just in developing countries
 Modern packaging and distribution systems will play an
inevitable and unavoidable role in this
 Current supply chain losses of 40-50% in less developed
countries are unacceptable (vs estimated <5% in the UK)
 Packaging and the science and innovation that drives its
development and existence is ready to meet the challenge
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The Role of Science & Innovation
 Warmly welcome packaging being viewed on the basis of
science – not politics and media myths
 Could start by addressing contents of Food 2030 – only
addresses packaging in the context of reducing it!
 And “making more of our essential packaging recyclable” –
so what about “meat packaging”?!
 One plus from all the UK attention on packaging is that our
industry leads the world in packaging innovation
 Whilst science is important, its application in innovative
products has been the huge driver in the last few decades
 Enabled fundamental changes in product offerings and retail
methodology
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Look Back to the Fifties……..
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Shopping was a daily exercise
Grocers shops (Liptons, Maypole, H&C)
Almost no supermarkets
Most products sold loose – queues/hygiene
Home deliveries of milk, bread…even ‘pop’
Range was limited and fresh food seasonal
Convenience foods almost unheard of
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And Now in the “Teenies”…
 Consumption has increased dramatically
 Supermarkets are everywhere
 Shopping is mostly a weekly excursion with
intermediate “top-ups”
 Range and choice are huge
 Products available all year round
 Convenience is ‘everything’
 And it’s this consumer demand for goods that
drives demand for the packaging around it
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And so….
 Packaging is the ‘enabler’ for shopping as we
know it today – supermarkets could not exist
without it
 Product wastage in the supply chain is now
minimal
 Product presentation and information are key
 Brands are mostly defined by their Packaging
 Many markets owe their existence to
developments in packaging
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All of these developed since the 50’s
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Lightweight one-trip glass bottles
Easy-open lightweight beverage and food cans
Plastic bottles and tubes
PET bottles
Flexible packaging sachets and pouches
Plastic films
Child resistant packaging
Liquid packaging cartons
Aseptic packaging
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And these!...
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Ovenable packaging
Modified atmosphere packaging
Frozen food packaging
Microwaveable packaging
Chilled food packaging
Aerosols for toiletries & household products
Plastics pots for almost everything
Multiple packaging – board and plastics
Shelf ready packaging
Pharmacuetical & medical packaging
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Let’s just remind ourselves what “masters”
packaging has to satisfy
Demands of the product
Demands of:
Demands of:
Secondary packaging
Consumer
Production
Primary packaging
Retailer
PRODUCT
Marketer
Distribution
Storage
Demands of legislation
and ‘environment’
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So what has the Packaging Industry done?
 Developed a fantastic range of new products
 Enabled a huge change in the way we shop
 Facilitated the reduction in food waste in the
supply chain to ca. 3%
 Lightweighted packaging across the board
 Achieved the decoupling of GDP growth from
the increase in packaging used
 Given consumers product protection,
hygiene, convenience and pack information
 Provided the platform for product
branding and identification
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And some real facts about it
 UK “consumption” is mid-table in EU
 3% of landfill and 18% of household waste
 Carbon footprint less than 2% - and way less
than the damage it saves
 Huge progress in recycling in last few years –
over 60% now recycled – again mid-table in EU
 Good recycling needs a better waste stream
 Further progress requires ‘joined-up thinking’
 Energy from waste must be taken seriously
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Consumer Attitudes
 Packaging responds to the needs of modern lifestyles and
consumer demand – 24/7
 Consumer concern about the environment is real but is it
well informed?
 Are the messages right? – packaging vs global warming
 Should all packaging be recyclable?
 Do they understand that packaging is “only” the delivery
system for the products that they demand?
 Do consumers really want a return to the shopping regimes
of yesteryear – lack of choice and even rationing
 And what about what they say……as opposed to what they
actually do!
 And what about food waste in the home
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Consumer “Education”….and ours!
 Knowledge of the real facts about packaging is very
limited
 “Recycling more important than reduced car use”
 Whole supply chain (INCLUDING THE FOOD &
DRINK INDUSTRY) needs to do much
more….starting with their own employees!
 Ambassadors for packaging – how much would you
sell without it?
 “Packaging in Perspective”
 www.packagingfedn.co.uk/factsheets.html
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The Messages from Government
Totemic issues…..(e.g. plastic bags)
Consumers’ carbon “footprint” – 40%!
What are the real issues e.g. car use
Time for honesty and recognition of the absolute
need for modern packaging if the world’s food
challenges are to be overcome
 Time for the “Appliance of Science” to actions on
the real environmental challenges
 For instance…..household food waste has at
least 15 times more environmental impact than
packaging waste
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And some “reminders” from us
 Packaging is <3% of landfill
 Global carbon footprint of packaging including
disposal is >2% and it saves far more carbon by
wastage reduction than it uses
 And what would the footprint be without it!
 There’s ten times more energy & materials in
products than in the packaging around them
 The energy content of one day’s packaging is
equal to ONE MILE driven in the car !!
 AVOIDABLE food waste in the bin has more than
FIFTEEN times the impact of packaging waste
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And so….. In Conclusion
 Modern demand needs modern packaging
 Without it we’re back to the 50’s – with no
supermarkets, restricted choice and vast increases
in wastage
 And the impact on the food and drink industry and
its customers would be dramatic
 At a time when the world faces dramatic challenges
on the sustainability and development of its food
supply, it needs the scientific and innovative skills of
the packaging industry to succeed
 So please let us get on with the job
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