1、29/03/2022INDEPENDEN T P U B L I C AT I O N BY#0798R AC O N T EU R.NE TRethink Labels,Reshape PackagingFUTURE OFPACKAGINGDITCH SECONDARY PACKAGING,GET CREATIVEUNPACKING THE UN PLASTIC SUMMIT0804PACKAGING THAT GIVES BACK TO NATURE11R A C O N T E U R.N E TF U T U R E O F PA C K A G I N G 0302/future-p

2、ackaging-2022espite years of appeals and encouragement,plastic pollution is only getting worse.Is it time to drop the carrot and pick up the stick?The carrots have been positive and plentiful.There are interna-tional public-private projects,such as the Afri-Plastics Challenge,backed by the Canadian

3、govern-ment,which is tackling the alarm-ing rise in plastic waste across Afri-ca.There are other efforts in domestic markets,like the UK Plas-tics Pact from the Waste Resource Action Programme(WRAP).Industry-led initiatives abound,too.Last June,for example,five of the UKs biggest names in branded fa

4、st-moving consumer goods Mars UK,Mondelz International,Nestl,PepsiCo and Unilever formed a 1m Flexible Plastic Fund to make recycling more economically viable for operators and easier for consum-ers.Individual retailers like Boots also have their own programmes.For all this wave of activity,the scal

5、e of the plastic problem appears to dwarf the efforts of business and industry.The reality is that the world produces twice as much plas-tic waste as it did two decades ago,with the bulk of it ending up in land-fill,incinerated or leaking into the environment.Just 9%of plastic waste is successfully

6、recycled,according to the OECD.In response,the UK government will be wielding a brand new stick,as of April 2022,in the form of the Plastic Packaging Tax(PPT).Under the PPT,a 200 per tonne tax will apply to plastic packaging contain-ing less than 30%recycled content.It is estimated that the measure

7、could affect up to 20,000 packaging producers and importers.So,could sticks be the answer?Paula Chin is senior policy adviser on consumption at the World Wild-life Fund(WWF).There is no simple answer,she explains.Addressing the manifold complexities of production and consumption needed to stem the f

8、low of plastics into nature is ulti-mately a transboundary issue.“Weve already seen a combination of levers adopted by governments across the world to address the plas-tic pollution crisis,including bans,taxes,charges,regulations and legis-lation.But as yet these actions have not been enough to tack

9、le the issue.”A narrow focus on specific legis-lation can have unintended con-sequences,Chin notes.“Where sticks have been used,theyve addressed low-hanging fruit,for example bans on plastic straws,charges on single-use carri-er bags.But these measures have led to material-switching by pro-ducers,wh

10、ich merely shifts envi-ronmental and social burdens to different supply chains,all of which have their own impacts.”The main challenge to date has been a lack of global coordination,which is needed to ensure the meas-ures taken by individual nations scale up to deliver real benefit.Thats why the new

11、s from the UN Assembly in Nairobi earlier this month was met with such applause,when representatives of 175 nations signed a breakthrough global reso-lution to end plastic pollution.This landmark leap towards an international legally binding instru-ment raises questions for the packag-ing industry.I

12、t may be entering a new era of hardline,mandatory policy and regulatory drivers,which will super-sede softer-touch voluntary schemes.When it comes to policy implemen-tation,delays in delivery dont help.The launch of the UKs first Deposit Return Scheme(DRS)in Scotland,for instance,has been pushed bac

13、k twice already to 2023.The Extended Producer Responsi-bility(EPR)reforms are in danger of faring even worse;theyre no longer due next year,with no new timetable officially in place.This is a revamp of 1997 legislation,so its seriously overdue.The new EPR would see producers effectively made liable

14、for the full cost of man-aging the packaging thats put on the market.The government estimates the impact could total about 2.7bn in the first full year of operation.The fact that it languishes in post-consultation limbo is a source of significant frustration,given its potential to effect change,says

15、 Louise Nicholls,Chair of the Insti-tute of Environmental Manage-ment and Assessment(IEMA),a professional body for environment and sustainability practitioners.“The key to transformation is EPR Nicholls believes.A mix of taxation to encourage sustainable packaging;transparent reporting of quantified

16、 targets;strong focus on citizen behaviour change;and support for local authorities and waste collectors to develop and maintain infrastructure.”Numerous Extended Producer Responsibility mechanisms already exist in other countries,including Canada,South Korea and Japan,along with several European na

17、tions.However,Britains stated hopes of achieving an overall recy-cling rate for EPR packaging of 73%by 2030 seem to be fading.Unplugged gaps in the regulatory framework are another significant bugbear,says Nicholls.“Plastic shrink wrap on multibuy cans,such as beer,fizzy drinks and beans,has definit

18、ely been poorly regulated,with home recycling not consistently available,”she explains.“Alternatives exist,for example card,but theres little incentive or pressure for manufac-turers to change.”A perceived long-term lack of resources and investment in enforcement bodies also raises concerns that any

19、 policing of new rules and regulations will lack the necessary teeth.“With a problem of this magni-tude,voluntary measures can only get us so far,”admits Jeff Kirschner,founder and CEO of Litterati,a North American data-science com-pany that aims to empower people to crowdsource clean the planet.Wit

20、h more than a quarter of a million members in 185 countries worldwide,Litterati has so far recorded and mapped an overall litter pickup of over 15 million pieces of rubbish.Witnessing the packaging waste problem first-hand on a daily basis,however,Kirschner is convinced that while regulation and var

21、ious corrective measures may play a role in reducing plastic waste,there are other practical solutions.“Whether its the shift from single use to reuse,where innovative businesses are providing refillable options,or a push for nationwide DRS,all options should be on the table.”In the end,however,sust

22、ainable change calls for both prizes and penalties,believes Litteratis Kirschner.“Ultimately,we may find that reward-based incentives coupled with punitive actions cre-ate the one-two punch needed to solve plastic waste.”Plastic pollution:is it time for sticks,not carrots?FUTURE OF PACKAGINGraconteu

23、r/raconteur_londonAs plastic waste continues to grow,there are doubts over the effectiveness of voluntary initiatives.Are mandatory measures now the only answer?Distributed inJim McClellandPublished in association withAlthough this publication is funded through advertising and sponsorship,all editor

24、ial is without bias and sponsored features are clearly labelled.For an upcoming schedule,partnership inquiries or feedback,please call+44(0)20 3877 3800 or email Raconteur is a leading publisher of special-interest content and research.Its publications and articles cover a wide range of topics,inclu

25、ding business,finance,sustainability,healthcare,lifestyle and technology.Raconteur special reports are published exclusively in The Times and The Sunday Times as well as online at The information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources the Proprietors believe to be correct.Howev

26、er,no legal liability can be accepted for any errors.No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior consent of the Publisher.Raconteur MNarongsak Noinash/EyeEm via GettyImages9%OECD,2022million tonnes of plastic being produced as of 2019,which has almost doubled since the year 2000o

27、f plastic waste is recycled353million tonnes of plastic waste being produced,which has also doubled since 2000R E G U L AT I O NMartin BarrowFormer news editor,foreign news editor and business news editor at The Times.Sophie BensonJournalist with a focus on sustainable fashion,the environment,and co

28、nsumerism.Bylines include The Guardian,The Independent and Dazed.Jim McClellandSustainable futurist,speaker and writer,committed to exploring space where economics,environment and social equity meet in business and the built environment.Josh SimsJournalist and editor contributing to publications int

29、ernationally,exploring.social trends,design,and business.ContributorsPublishing manager Cristina CosenzaDesign/production assistant Louis NassDesignCelina LuceyColm McDermottSamuele MottaSean Wyatt-LivesleyDesign directorTim WhitlockIllustrationSara GelfgrenKellie JerrardDeputy editorFrancesca Cassi

30、dyManaging editorSarah VizardSub-editorNeil ColeReports editorIan DeeringHead of productionJustyna OConnellD460R A C O N T E U R.N E TF U T U R E O F PA C K A G I N G 0504Consumers are tired of excess packaging.Brands are seeking to meet environmental demands without selling their products short Int

31、eractivity is ideal for social sharing,but it can also provide a route for product storytelling.The Lush Lens,available on the Lush Labs app,erases the need for leaf-lets or information cards.Users point their camera at a product to reveal information such as product descriptions,price points,ingred

32、i-ents,and immersive usage demon-stration videos.Such technology could be expanded to communi-cate ingredient provenance or manufacturing techniques.“All sectors are placing more focus on packaging eco-design,”says Peano.However,“for the food and cosmetics industries its par-ticularly central becaus

33、e they tend to be more packaging-heavy.”Cognac brand Rmy Martin began removing secondary packaging from its VSOP line in 2020,with plans to extend the project to all markets by 2024.Multi-brand retail-er Beautycounter says its saved half a million cartons annually by removing secondary packaging fro

34、m numerous product lines.Grocery retailer ICA Gruppen sought to invent new technology,being one of the first grocery retailers to pilot laser marking on fruit and vegetables as an alterna-tive to stickers and plastic wrap-ping.The laser has no impact on the product itself,only altering the pigment o

35、f the skin.EcoMark,which offers natural branding as a service,says the shelf life of prod-ucts is 100%guaranteed when using this method.While she believes secondary packaging should be removed“when it serves solely a marketing purpose”,Peano says care must be taken not to remove packaging where it c

36、ontributes to preservation.Apeel,an edible,plant-based pro-tective layer which keeps produce fresh for twice as long,may help answer such conundrums.There is ample innovation to ena-ble the removal of secondary pack-aging.The key to making it work is targeting the right products and understanding th

37、e gaps which need to be filled to deliver on both environment and experience.Simply removing a layer without bringing something new to the table mightnt be enough.In many cases,secondary packaging is part of the customer experience.It facilitates unboxing,communi-cates quality,denotes hygiene,and pr

38、ovides precious real estate for marketing and branding.But with the right approach,removing secondary packaging can be an opportunity for innova-tion,providing new avenues for consumer engagement.In September 2020,evian launched a label-free bottle in its bid to become fully circular by 2025.Availab

39、le in hotels initially,the minimalist,etched design set it apart from its label-clad competitors,while a new pink lid was introduced as a distinc-tive marker for the new design.According to Reuters,481.6 billion plastic bottles were sold in 2018,so the impact of removing the associated labels would

40、be significant.The move also opens new approaches to design.The possibili-ties were evidenced in the C2 Drink-ing Water project,an honouree in the 2021 Core77 Design Awards.Expressive embossed illustrations turned each bottle into a collectable work of art.Beauty brand e.l.f.took on second-ary packa

41、ging with its Project Uni-corn initiative,stripping down sec-ondary cartons and boxes.Its new,patented design replaces hang tab boxes with a simple adhesive loop,which also doubles up as a hygiene sticker,perforated when opened.Its removed 1 million pounds of excess waste since February 2019.“Becaus

42、e packaging is so close to the consumer,its often viewed as one of the most tangible impacts,oxes,sleeves,lids,tubes:the trappings of secondary packaging add up.Compa-nies are cutting back on these added layers,but its not as easy as it sounds.Reducing such waste makes busi-ness sense,with todays cu

43、stomers put off by all that packaging.In fact,68%of UK consumers say the environmental impact of a prod-ucts packaging affects their pur-chasing choice,rising to 77%in Germany and 81%in Spain.By removing elements like shrink wrap on multi-packs and secondary lids on yoghurts and creams,UK supermarke

44、t Tesco managed to remove 1 billion pieces of plastic.Por-tuguese retailer Sonae MC,mean-while,eliminated 725,000 cardboard boxes a year by removing secondary boxes from its own-brand toothpaste and substituting a display tray.“The ultimate goal around sus-tainability for packaging is zero waste,so

45、any innovations that remove layers is a step in the right direction,”says Jennifer Creevy,head of food and drink at WGSN,a trend forecasting specialist.Sophie Bensonregardless of the share of a compa-nys environmental footprint it represents,”says Laura Peano,global plastics lead at Quantis,a sustai

46、nability consultancy.“Reducing it benefits consumer brand perception,making it a key point of differentiation.”By stripping back packaging,brands can connect with consumers who view environmental impact as a driv-er behind their purchases.“Brands can also make a story of their journey which helps dr

47、ive positive brand awareness,”notes Creevy.However,other consumer priorities like quality,engagement and experi-ence must be kept in mind.Around 90,000 people type unboxing into YouTube each month and the unboxing hashtag has 30.5 billion views on TikTok.In that context,pro-viding engaging,shareable

48、 experi-ences remains a key strategy.In seeking to elevate customer experience,wine brand 19 Crimes didnt turn to boxes,bottle sleeves,or display cases,as many beverage brands do.Instead,it introduced Living Labels.By downloading the dedicated app,consumers could watch the stories of the characters

49、on their bottles labels in real time.While most of the characters are fic-tional,the Cali Red wine features brand partner Snoop Dogg deliver-ing a new line each time the phone is pointed at the label.MIT-based project Illusory Material created a very different but equally shareable and interactive p

50、rimary packaging experience with nseen.The group created a mechanism for branding that only reveals itself when someone interacts with the product.Front-on,the packaging appears transparent,but when handled and viewed from different angles,the once-hidden branding appears.With Kais paper razor,launc

51、hed in 2021,the packaging actually becomes the product.Users pop the flat razor out of the cardboard sleeve using the pre-cut edges and fold it in an origa-mi-inspired fashion according to the instructions,which are also part of the packaging.Then they secure it with tape that initially comes as a p

52、ro-tective covering for the blade.Brands get creative to ditch secondary packagingReducing packaging benefits consumer brand perception,making it a key point of differentiationInteractive packaging experience nseen,created by MIT-based project Illusory Material has branding that only reveals itself

53、when someone interacts with the productD E S I G NBThe Grocer,2021HOW UK SHOPPERS FEEL ABOUT PLASTICPercentage of British consumers who feel the following are the biggest issues surrounding plastic packagingPlastic pollution in the oceans65%Plastic alternatives not being affordable37%Lack of availab

54、ility of alternative packaging46%Lack of recycling facilities available35%Plastic pollution on land54%Environmental cost to produce plastic36%Lack of incentive to recycle37%Commercial featureThe rise of environmentally sustainable packagingThe packaging industry is often derided for its environmenta

55、l impact but there are companies making real leaps forward for sustainability,although there is still more to doll too often,the talk in pack-aging circles is about the dis-tance still to run in the race to reach our sustainability goals.It is easy to forget,though,how far we have already come.Thing

56、s are simply not the same for packaging in 2022 as they were 10,or even five,years ago.Growing con-sumer demand for environmentally sustainable solutions is driving green markets.In addition,legislation is ramping up at both national and inter-national levels.The UK Plastic Packaging Tax comes into

57、force this April.On the world stage,175 nations endorsed a historic resolution to end plastic pollution,at the UN in early March.Consumers will pay to go greenIn the Trivium 2021 Buying Green report,an annual global survey of 15,000 consumers,more than two in three respondents(67%)described themselv

58、es as environmentally con-scious.The commitment to the green cause was even stronger among the younger generation,with almost nine in 10(83%)willing to pay more for sus-tainable packaging.Looking ahead to the 2022 results,demand for packaging that helps pro-tect the planet is only increasing,says Tr

59、ivium Packaging chief sustainability officer,Jenny Wassenaar.“Sustainability matters,the imper-ative is already here.However,the stakes are raised for brands,retail-ers and manufacturers alike,as con-sumer awareness grows and demand for fact-based information rises.The next-level debate is now about

60、 true recyclability of materials,”she says.According to the latest figures from the European Union,recycling rates for both paper(82%)and metal(78%)are roughly double those for plastics(41%).Furthermore,metals such as steel and aluminium are infinitely recyclable,delivering huge circularity benefits

61、.To best evaluate sustainability in the round,Trivium adopts a practice of holistic packaging sustainability assessment that accounts fully for circularity,while also factoring in the impact of packaging materials on the waste stream and improving shelf life.Food waste for thoughtWhen it comes to fo

62、od,shelf life mat-ters.The most recent(pre-Covid)fig-ures from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation revealed around 931 mil-lion tonnes of food waste was gener-ated in 2019,with the majority from households(61%).Of the remainder,losses in food service(26%)and retail(13%)can be attributed to issu

63、es such as inade-quate storage and transportation.These impacts are often exacerbated by shelf-life limitations affecting stock purchasing,sales and management.To make matters worse,all this waste leaves a carbon footprint.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates food waste alone is r

64、esponsible for between 8%and 10%of global greenhouse gas emissions-more than double the contribution from aviation.In response,not only does metal packaging help protect and preserve food contents for longer(in some cases for up to five years)but canning also supports enhanced levels of nutrient con

65、tent per calorie consumed.Award-winning,by designHappily for brands,this drive to go green calls for no compromise on design aesthetics.Options with cans include direct full-body printing,which provides a label-free 360 canvas on which to display attention-grabbing graphics,as well as key product an

66、d user information.One brand pushing the envelope for innovation is Rainforest Artesian Water a Best in Class winner with Trivium at the 2021 PAC Global Awards.The Rainforest Water bottle in a can design is engineered to be spill-free and made from durable,forever-recy-clable aluminium.It is also wr

67、apped in vibrant full-colour images of wildlife,such as butterflies and parrots.The future is refillableIn tandem with reuse,refill is another market trend clearly on the rise.One brand at the vanguard is Petal,creators of a natural zero-waste foaming hand soap system.The companys refillable pods ar

68、e shipped directly to custom-ers,then mixed with water and dis-pensed in a stylish,reusable and recy-clable aluminium bottle.Describing itself as a sustainabili-ty-first company with a strong focus on aesthetics,Petal was one of three win-ners with Trivium for Packaging Design at the 2021 iF Design

69、Awards,along with Rainforest Artesian Water and Bubble Tree Refillable Bubble System.The success for Bubble Tree proved particularly noteworthy,being a first-of-its kind winner in the toys cate-gory,a sector notorious for gener-ating plastic waste.The firms small refillable aluminium bottles feature

70、 a child-friendly ergonomic grip and colourful designs.The luxury fragrance market is another segment not typically asso-ciated with pioneering green inno-vation.As a result,the recent award win for O.U.i the first brand in Brazil to offer refillable eau de parfum was hugely significant for the beau

71、ty and personal care industry,explains Aislan Pereira,director of commer-cial at Trivium Brazil.“It was a disruptive launch that proves our new aluminium threaded bottles can be the right packaging to leverage sustainable and innovative solutions for premium markets,”he says.Sustainability is good f

72、or businessAs well as aesthetics,sustainable pack-aging solutions can also be good for business.Purpose-driven plant-based hair-care brand Eva NYC,for instance,can point to a 100%jump in orders within two weeks of launching its new fully recyclable aluminium bottles.Another good business story is Ha

73、nd in Hand,the Philadelphia-based social enterprise specialising in what it dubs sustainable suds eco-friendly,vegan and cruelty-free personal care products such as soaps and hand wash.Its pioneering aluminium contain-ers for liquid hand soap and sanitiser introduced during the early months of the p

74、andemic in March 2020 con-tributed substantially to the brands 1,000%year-on-year growth and accompanying spike in charitable giving worldwide.For every product it sells,the company makes a donation of soap and clean drinking water to chil-dren in need in disadvantaged commu-nities,in countries such

75、 as Cambodia and Haiti.As these trailblazing and award-win-ning examples show,demonstrable,real-world social and environmental responsibility go together with stand-out business success and the pack-aging industry can rise to the sustaina-bility challenge,concludes Wassenaar.“To respond to the needs

76、 of more environmentally aware consumers and grasp the opportunity to make a real difference in the world,packaging companies must course-correct for a greener tomorrow.And they need to do so today.It is time to rethink pack-aging design and communication:cir-cularity matters.”For more data and insi

77、ghts visit To respond to the needs of more environmentally aware consumers and grasp the opportunity to make a real difference in the world,packaging companies must course-correct for a greener tomorrowAInternational Aluminum,2021of all aluminum ever produced is still in use today75%MAPPING LOSSES F

78、ROM FIRST TO SECOND LIFEThe chart below maps out where the different losses occur in each stage of the recycling chain for the combined five regionsCollection rateRecycling rateInfinite times(minus losses recycling)79%71%69%61%40%8%51%34%20%Aluminium cansPET bottlesGlass bottlesCansOther packagingBu

79、ilding&constructionTransportElectricalConsumer durablesMachineryOther7%5%25%25%13%9%9%7%From barrels to bottles,cans to cardboard boxes,packaging innovations have revolutionised the way we live-from the food we can eat to the way we can brand products.And if packaging history can teach us anything,i

80、t is that even the simplest inventions canhave a transformational impact PACKAGING INNOVATIONS:THEN AND NOWAlthough something like paper packaging has been around since 200 BC,when the Chinese would use treated mulberry bark to transport food,the first cardboard box wouldnt be invented until 1817.An

81、d commercial use of cardboard boxes wasnt possible until Scotsman Robert Gair found a way to prefabricate them in the 1870s,completely by accident.While making paper bags for seeds,the metal ruler which was used to crease the bags slipped and cut them instead.The first brand to use this new inventio

82、n was NABISCO,the National Biscuit Company,in America.Having upgraded from using barrels for their biscuits,NABISCO was also the first company to brand a cardboard box in 1896.After that,cardboard boxes became the packaging method of choice for everything from cereal to cigarettes and,with Tetra Pak

83、s invention of the tetrahedron-shaped carton in 1951,they have revolutionised the way we store and deliver food.Along with QR codes,radio frequency identification tags are becoming another increasingly common feature of modern packaging,mostly through the use of smart labels.They are created using p

84、rinted antennas with a microscopic chip which transmits a frequency signal and can be used to track and trace packages throughout distribution.Not only that,they can prevent theft from shops,help warehouses monitor inventory and make it easier for customers and delivery drivers to keep track of thei

85、r packages.They can also aid security efforts by acting as a packages digital seal-if that packaging is tampered with,the radio signal is lost,making it easier than ever to tell if an item has been opened or stolen.With more than eight million tons of plastic ending up in the ocean every year,scient

86、ists and packaging experts have been working on eco-friendly alternatives.One such is bioplastics.Produced from natural materials such as vegetable fats,corn starch,sawdust,straw or even food waste,while not all bioplastics are biodegradable,many are.One recent example is a bioplastic designed by a

87、research team at Sao Paulo State University in Brazil.The team has created a film made from bovine gelatin which is not only biodegradable,it is also anti-microbial and edible.Even big brands are getting on board,such as Coca-Cola,who launched its PlantBottle-the first ever recyclable plastic bottle

88、 made from plants-in 2015.One of packagings main functions is to keep the food we eat fresh and safe for consumption.Unfortunately,food packaging is increasingly reported as the root cause of bacterial spread,partly because moisture can get in,creating the perfect conditions for the growth of pathog

89、ens.Enter antimicrobial packaging.This intelligently engineered packaging film contains enzymes and antimicrobial agents which can prevent the growth of pathogenic or spoilage microorganisms.The result?Less degradation of food and a longer shelf life for our favourite items.There were forms of plast

90、ic around even in the 1800s,but these were unmalleable and unsuitable for packaging.It wasnt until 1862 when Alexander Parkes unveiled his cellulose-derived plastic at the Great International Exhibition that the possibilities became clear.Parkes man-made plastic could be moulded when heated and kept

91、 its shape when cooled,perfect for packaging.Cellophane was invented in 1908 but became more readily used after frozen food pioneer Clarence Birdseye approached chemical company DuPont,asking them to produce a waterproof version of cellophane which could keep food fresh and insulated.Plastic film wa

92、s born.1946 saw the first ever commercial plastic bottle and the advent of Tupperware and plastic has become a core staple of food,pharmaceutical and goods packaging ever since.The cardboard boxRFID/smart chipsBioplasticsAntimicrobial packagingPlasticOriginally invented in 1994,the QR(or quick respo

93、nse)code became indispensable during the pandemic,aiding track and trace and enabling restaurants to serve customers safely.But they have also become a crucial tool in smart packaging.Unlike traditional barcodes,which are two-dimensional,QR codes have three levels of security which can detect errors

94、.Requiring nothing more than a smartphone,a QR code can help provide additional information about a package and act as a unique identifier for each item.This can help to aid loyalty programs and product traceability or simply give the consumer more information about whats inside their package.It can

95、 even help with authentication efforts,by inserting a digital watermark within the QR code.QR codesof US consumers look at the QR found on food packaging for information on ingredients,after social media and friends or family8%Food Insight,2021During the Napoleonic wars,the emperor offered 12,000 Fr

96、ancs to anyone who could help improve food preservation.The prize money was eventually given to the father of food science,Nicolas Appert who proved food could be preserved by boiling it and then sealing it in glass,in a precursor to canning.This method was then borrowed by Englishman Peter Durand i

97、n 1810 who showed it could work in a tin can.The worlds first commercial canning factory was established in London and by 1813 it was producing tin-canned goods for the Royal Navy.By 1820,tin cans were being used for everything from gunpowder and turpentine to seeds and food.The packaging method wou

98、ld take its first step towards fame in 1898,when Campbells Soup launched its iconic carnelian-red and white design,memorialised in Andy Warhols 1962 masterpiece 32 Campbells Soup Cans.The tin can R A C O N T E U R.N E TF U T U R E O F PA C K A G I N G 0706R A C O N T E U R.N E TF U T U R E O F PA C

99、K A G I N G 0908CarbonNeutralBritainIn the run up to the Packaging Innovations&Empack event in May,which smart packaging innovations are you most excited about?One of the most interesting areas of development is the crossover between a products pack-aging as a physical object and the digital experie

100、nce that it can offer to consumers.The pandemic has made us all much more willing to use QR codes and brands are exploring and experimenting with their use.An increasingly common way to do this is through creating aug-mented reality experiences.Skit-tles,for instance,recently ran a pro-motion suppor

101、ting Pride where scanning the QR code on a white packet of the sweets led consumers to a special AR experience that showed what was billed as the worlds biggest rainbow.In the luxury space,an area I am particularly interested in is how blockchain and internet of things technologies are finding their

102、 way into packaging to help ensure that a product is not a counterfeit.One recent example is a tequila called OTACA.The brand incorporates a smart tag into its bottle that can connect to the internet and verify the authenticity of the product.Similar types of technology are being tested in some new

103、refill sys-tems which,of course,is one of the big areas of packaging development when it comes to sustainability.The principle is that using this technol-ogy can help companies track the whereabouts of a specific bottle or pack to understand whether,and how often,it is being reused.What design innov

104、ations are catching your eye these days?Im a big fan of limited edition packs,especially ones where artists,fashion designers or archi-tects bring an unusual look or feel to a pack.In the spirits world,architect Daniel Libeskind created an incredi-bly beautiful and striking angular bottle for Hennes

105、sy that looked com-pletely different to anything the cognac brand had done before.I love the playful limited editions that water brand Perrier currently has on sale,a collaboration with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.There are so many more examples,but its always impressive to see how a one-off or

106、 limited edition packaging design can create a new sense of excitement around a product.How is packaging making the world a better place,beyond sustainability?Inclusivity is a big area of development for packaging.A lot of work is being done where packs are designed to help make the product,or infor

107、mation about that product,more accessible for people with disabilities.One recent example,for blind or partially sighted people,is a smart packaging development from cereal brand Kelloggs.The company has begun adding a tag,called NaviLens,to all its cereal boxes in Europe.This tag allows a smartphon

108、e to detect a unique on-pack code and play back labelling information such as nutri-tional and allergen details.Away from the grocery sector,Microsoft made headlines a couple of years ago when it created an easy-open accessible pack for its Xbox Adaptive Controller.The box was designed to allow game

109、rs with disa-bilities to access the product more easily and was awarded the top prize in the Pentawards,the worlds biggest packaging design competition.All these topics-and many more-will be on the programme at our Packaging Innovations&Empack event in May.There,thousands of packaging designers and

110、technolo-gists will be meeting to learn about the possibilities for their brands next packaging innovations we cant wait to see everyone there.Its always impressive to see how a one-off design can create a new sense of excitementI N S I G H T SJosh BrooksMarketing&community director,packaging,Easyfa

111、irsWHERE IS THE UK SENDING ITS PLASTIC?Top five plastic waste exports from the UK between January and July 2021,by destination(in metric tons)109,247Turkey57,666Netherlands26,710Poland19,768SpainJosh Brooks,marketing&community director,packaging,Easyfairs on the most exciting innovations in the sect

112、or We have lots of work ahead of us,but it is the beginning of the end of the scourge of plastic new agreement to work towards a global treaty on ending plastic pollution has been hailed as a major break-through by campaigners.However,theres still a long road ahead.At a meeting in Nairobi in early M

113、arch,the UN Environment Assem-bly adopted a resolution on plastic pollution.Delegates from 175 coun-tries,including the UK,endorsed an agreement that addresses plastic waste and calls for two years of negotiations toward a comprehen-sive,international treaty on the full life cycle of plastics.Inger

114、Andersen,executive direc-tor of the United Nations Environ-ment Programme(UNEP),called the agreement“the most signifi-cant environmental multilateral deal since the Paris accord”on global warming in 2015.Over the next two years,a negotiat-ing committee will outline the con-tents of a legally binding

115、 treaty that will look at how plastic is produced,designed and disposed of.The com-mittee will consider ways to reduce plastic pollution across the planet.It will also discuss the creation of a finance facility to support the goals of the treaty and ways to monitor pro-gress toward achieving them,in

116、clud-ing through national action plans.“I think some of the thornier issues will be around what kind of goals will we be setting,how will we be measuring this and what speed of implementation is it that we would wish to see,”said Andersen.“But we have been here before.”Public disquiet and impatience

117、 over the growing mountain of plas-tic waste weighed heavily on dele-gates as they laid the groundwork for a legally binding agreement to control plastics.More than 90 CEOs signed up to a joint call for a legally binding agreement.This included the heads of Pepsi-Co,Coca-Cola,Procter&Gamble and Unil

118、ever,responding to pressure from shareholders and consumers.“We are at a critical point in time to establish an ambitious UN treaty on plastics,”said Alan Jope,the CEO of Unilever,“one that cuts down virgin plastic production,fosters collabora-tion for systemic solutions and speeds up the transition

119、 to a circular economy globally.”US support was another signifi-cant development,in a policy shift businesses and consumers around the world must now capitalise on the momentum,working together to ensure no plastic ends up in nature,”he says.“There are many components needed to achieve a more positi

120、ve future for plastic.We need contin-ued research and development to find sustainable alternative raw materials to reduce our dependen-cy on plastics.Businesses must invest in innovation to improve packaging design and eliminate the use of problematic materials and excess packaging.”Going into the s

121、ummit,the main sticking points were whether any agreement would be legally bind-ing or voluntary,and whether it would address plastic production and single-use packaging design or be confined to improving Waste management and recycling.A draft resolution,entitled End plastic pollution:Towards an int

122、er-nationally legally binding instru-ment,said the treaty should address the full lifecycle of plas-tic,meaning production and design,as well as waste.“This agreement by govern-ments at UNEA is truly historic and Im so proud that the UK co-sponsored the proposals and helped them get over the line,”s

123、aid Lord Zac Goldsmith,a UK environ-ment minister,who attended the Nairobi conference.The UN says 400 million tons of plastic is produced every year,with that figure set to double by 2040.At present,only 9%is recy-cled.It is difficult to recycle,slow to decay,expensive and polluting to burn,and brea

124、ks down into tiny particles that enter the food chain and cause harm to animals.Plastic also accounts for a signifi-cant and rising share of greenhouse gas pollution.By 2050,plastic pro-duction,use and waste could account for 15%of emissions,according to UNEP.Virginia Janssens is managing director o

125、f Plastics Europe,a trade body focused on reducing plastic waste.“The resolution promotes the importance of creating a sup-portive policy environment that is tailored to the specific needs of our industry and value chain to facili-tate our transition,”she said.“It highlights the benefits and necessi

126、ty of active collaboration and dialogue between our industry and all relevant stakeholders.”A global agreement on plastic waste is seen as the most important green deal since the Paris accords of 2015 Has the UN put the world on track for a plastic-free future?Martin Barrowfrom the previous administ

127、ration.“This is only the end of the begin-ning,”said Monica Medina,the US assistant secretary of state for oceans and international environ-mental affairs.“We have lots of work ahead of us,but it is the begin-ning of the end of the scourge of plastic on this planet.”Ignacio Gavilan is sustainability

128、 director at the Consumer Goods Forum,which represents more than 400 retailers and manufactures across 70 countries.“The plastic treaty agreement is a landmark moment in changing our relationship with plastic.Col-laboration and shared commit-ments are essential to tackling the plastics problem.Polic

129、ymakers,P L A S T I C SAKenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta speaks at the session to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the UN Environment Programme,where members met to discuss the most pressing environmental issues,among them plastic pollution4,435Portugal11,737Italy10,748Belgium9,708Germany7,979Fran

130、ce5,162GreeceHM Revenue and Customs,2021R A C O N T E U R.N E TF U T U R E O F PA C K A G I N G 1110I N N O VAT I O Nlayer of the material to cardboard(protective surfaces on cardboard are typically made of plastic),using the waste fibre from the sea-weed to create a new form of card-board and devis

131、ing water-soluble packaging for products such as pasta.Crucially,using a natural source for the material means its compostable at home(rather than by hot industrial composting).Indeed,Amir Afshar,co-founder and chief product officer at startup Shellworks founded in 2019 with the creation of Vivomer,

132、a rigid,vegan material created from marine and soil micro-organisms suggests that this new generation of materials are the first to be properly biodegradable.The term to date has often been applied to those materials that actually require a special environment in which to break down,energy-intensive

133、 indus-trial processes to do so,or which only break down to micro-plastics.“So its another question whether at the chemical level that material is really gone or not,”says Afshar,whose UK-based company is now piloting Shellmer,an antimicrobial,flexible,water-soluble and naturally fertilising biopoly

134、mer extracted from seafood waste.“Compare that to the re-purposing of a natural poly-mer that breaks down into the con-stituents from whence it came.This is contributing back to nature in the way that,say,a fallen branch breaks down to become part of the mulch.Its naturally,fully recyclable.”Retail

135、companies have also been exploring how to produce packaging that bio-contributes as it degrades.Body-care brand Haeckels has recently introduced a bottle seal made of algae,which is kept moist until ready for use and seals as it dehydrates.The company is also experimenting with mycelium,sourced from

136、 the roots of mush-rooms,which can be mixed with agricultural waste,moulded and dried to form lightweight and impact-resistant packaging.ecent years have seen the packaging industry intro-duce a flurry of nature-de-rived innovations in sustainability prawn-shell plastic bags,the repurposing of palm

137、leaves,cellulose moulding,wood pulp cellophane,and so on.But such notions have their limitations:both in functional-ity and in just how fully recyclable they actually are.Enter the next phase:packaging that uses natural processes to not only break down entirely,but that can put something back into t

138、he soil;that is,to produce a net ecologi-cal benefit.Welcome to the era of bio-contributing packaging.“Were exploring more and more natural materials that can be used in expected ways,including packaging thats edible that worms and bacte-ria will feast on,to fertilise the next cycle of life,”explain

139、s Pierre Paslier,an ex-packaging engineer for LOral and co-founder of packaging compa-ny Notpla.Notpla is an edible materi-al made from brown seaweed,which grows up to a metre per day,without the need for freshwater or fertiliser,and which biodegrades completely in around a month.So far its been use

140、d to create sachets suitable for containing water or condiments,with the company working on applying a Josh Simssustainability problem of plastic was less well understood.And bio-contributing packaging is not without its limitations:myceli-um-based packaging,for example,sometimes hailed as the most

141、com-mercially viable option,is only suit-able for dry goods.“Bio-contribut-ing packaging still has a short lifespan too,”Paslier adds.“Our chemists are working on extending it,but push it too far and nature ceases to recognise the material and then bio-degrading doesnt work.”Price,for the moment,rem

142、ains a challenge mycelium-based pack-aging remains considerably more expensive than plastic and aes-thetics can be an issue for some brands.Communication will also likely prove an issue,and not just to encourage consumers to com-post at home rather than send organic matter to landfill where it will

143、give off methane.“The developers of these kinds of bio-neutral or bio-contributing materials will need to make it clear what they are to the end-consumer and how to use them weve worked hard to make sure our material doesnt feel like plastic,for example,so that its not misun-derstood and so mis-hand

144、led in recycling.Its about how to make a clear distinction from plastics without giving the material that fibrous speckles eco-material look that not all brands want.”But demand is clearly there.Sainsburys,for example,aims to sell most of its fresh organic pro-duce and own-brand ready-meals in maize

145、-based home-compostable packaging.Asda and Tesco are moving to use Apeels protective layer on citrus fruits.“We joke that were selling an invisible product that solves an invisible problem,”laughs Apeels Vieira.“But products using nature-based solutions typically make for win-win outcomes,not compro

146、mis-es.Theres a lot of excitement around this kind of innovation.”Packaged by nature:introducing the bio-contributorsThe development of bio-contributing naturally derived materials looks set to be a game-changer in packaging innovation.But there are still challenges ahead“Looking to nature which has

147、 already figured out how to recycle in a beautiful,efficient way is the ultimate motivator in aiming to pro-vide solutions for packaging sus-tainability issues,”she says.While the pace of innovation is impressive,there are challenges not least in matters of speed and scale of production.Most of the

148、innovations are coming not from major manufacturers but from small startups,which then have to sell the idea to a big player.“And they may be reticent to try this weird seaweed stuff,”as Notplas Paslier puts it.After all,many similar bio-materials were experimented with dec-ades ago but failed to ta

149、ke hold,in part because the ROther examples include plantable packaging with embedded seeds,for Bloom Everlast-ing Chocolate;plantable wrapping paper such as Edens Paper;and cosmetic company Lushs cork pots,the production of which sequesters 33 times their weight in carbon dioxide.Jessica Vieira is

150、vice-president of sus-tainability at US company Apeel,which in 2019 devel-oped a plant-based,taste-less,odourless protective barrier made from the same materials found in peels,pulp and seeds to slow down the food spoiling pro-cess and maintain freshness for longer,reducing both food waste and packa

151、ging use.She argues that the natural-ness of the product is particularly reas-suring to consumers.This is contributing back to nature in the way that,say,a fallen branch breaks down to become part of the mulch.Its naturally,fully recyclableWHATEVER THE COLOUR,YOU WILL STILL BE GREEN.OUR CARTONS ARE MADE FROM RENEWABLE,SUSTAINABLY MANAGED SOURCES.REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT.SWITCH FROM SINGLE-USE PLASTICS TO NATURAL FIBRE.WANT TO KNOW MORE?GET IN TOUCHCASTLECOLOUR.CO.UK+44(0)1603 741278SALESCASTLECOLOUR.CO.UK#castlecolourpackaging