Considering that packaging is regularly (and ignorantly) pilloried in the press and in government circles, all help gratefully received.
But …
The fact that one of the primary purposes of food and drink packaging is to protect its contents – thereby reducing product waste, which has a greater environmental impact than the packaging itself – doesn’t make great headlines.
Granted, there’s a great deal of misinformation out there, but there’s also the Pacific Trash Vortex – a disgusting, mutating, seething mass of discarded plastic that covers an area bigger than the state of Texas. And it’s hard to get people to listen to a reasoned defence of packaging when such a tragedy exists.
Getting the other side of the story across – our side, where tens of thousands of people strive to make packaging that serves its many masters and limits its environmental impact – will be an enormous challenge for anyone.
First things first, packaging must sell to succeed. Yes, it must prevent contamination, breakage, spillage and environmental damage; yes it must be readily transportable and stackable, but it’s also a vital marketing tool and it has to earn its keep as a means of communicating with consumers by standing out on-shelf. It must interrupt their stream of consciousness, arrest their attention and engage their hearts or minds. Preferably both. And, of course, it must perform.
Functionality is fundamental. Packaging must deliver the product in optimum form, quickly, cleanly and conveniently. How the hell do you get all that across to marketing-literate consumers brought up on snappy headlines and slick ad campaigns? Frankly, I feel a bit breathless just listing it, but maybe that’s why I’m a designer and not a copywriter.
Green is a given. I don’t know of a single designer that sets out to make wasteful, environmentally unfriendly packaging. These days, we all strive to remove unnecessary packaging, to reduce what and where we can, to use the most environmentally friendly materials for what must remain, and to simplify production and increase supply chain efficiencies.
And good luck to anyone trying to sell sustainability in the supply chain as a sexy story. A slight change, such as the harmonisation of pack formats (or even just closures) across a range of SKUs can increase efficiency and cut carbon footprint appreciably, but it’s never going to create a buzz on Facebook.
I do believe that consumers can be educated and helped to appreciate the positive role that packaging plays in our 21st century lifestyle. And while I completely support the FDF for taking the initiative to involve its members, I have to wonder how they can best present the earnest and unsexy truth and, indeed, if they are best placed to communicate the message?
Retailers will have to get onboard, too. And, importantly, effort needs to be directed at educating politicians, as they not only set policy, but create headlines. Just as we in the packaging community look at cradle-to-grave solutions, so will the campaign have to take a holistic approach.
Simon Pendry is director of Blue Marlin London
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