Packaging News
While protection is a key function for packaging, there are certain products and markets for which it is of paramount importance. Last month, the focus was on the rise of e-commerce, due to Covid-19-related lockdowns, which is a huge factor in the increased demand for protective packaging, as is the pandemic in general, and the key players have been rising to the challenge.
The term protective packaging may well evoke images of plain, unattractive and bulky packages but brand awareness/aesthetics is increasingly important in this market, as is sustainability, and suppliers and designers have to consider these factors in order to create effective, attractive and environmentally-friendly packs.
“Packaging has a functional as well as an aesthetic role and protecting the product, be that fresh produce or a high value whisky or perfume, is critical” says Jes Crossley, business development manager at packaging post-press trade house ACA.
“At the same time there is increasing pressure on retailers and businesses of all kinds to provide sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions.”
Choice of material is clearly key here where strength and environmental considerations have to be combined.
“Cartonboard is ideal in many instances,” says Crossley. “The choice of board, the calliper, its chain of custody credentials and the structural engineering that go into the packaging design will all determine the strength of protection and the sustainability. We actively encourage designers and printers to talk to us early on about new projects so that we can look at ways to help them find the right solutions.”
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KEY CHALLENGES
Finding the balance between lightweighting and protection
Increased e-commerce purchases since the pandemic outbreak further highlight the ‘over-packaging’ problems. To be fair, there has not really been the expected escalation of tabloid and social media stories where an outraged online shopper has received, say, a key ring in a huge box with layers of filler. Whether that means suppliers and distributors are successfully tackling the problem or those stories are being saved for slower news days is uncertain, but pack reduction where possible remains a desirable goal.
The importance of the primary role
In terms of being planet-friendly, damaged products can be far more detrimental to the environment than packaging, resulting in more CO2 emissions due to product replacement and transportation. So, ensuring damage prevention throughout the supply chain is itself an environmentally-friendly task and not just one that seeks to avoid having angry consumers receiving harmed goods.
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Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic has, in some markets, necessitated a new layer of protection which ACA has taken on board (pun intended).
“‘Protective’ packaging has taken on a new slant during the pandemic and at ACA we have seen a great increase in the use of anti-viral laminating films as businesses seek to ensure the safe handling of products. All ACA waste foil, paper and plastics are recycled, too, so that we do our bit for the environment,” says Crossley.
Indeed the entire packaging industry seems determined to do its bit for the environment and with demand being so high in this category right now, it’s essential that sustainability is at the forefront of packaging production. It’s certainly a predominant factor for global protective packaging specialist Storopack who last year announced the delivery of first protective packaging made from 100% post-consumer recycled material.
“This is a crucial time for environmental awareness, and a topic that has certainly intensified in recent times,” says Richard Pulfrey, the company’s managing director. “There is a demand from the market that whilst goods should be packed with the optimal protection, this must be achieved by using sustainable materials. The subject of plastic pollution in the oceans is a major problem, but the issue isn’t the product itself but how it is disposed of. Plastic bags were invented to save the planet by protecting finite resources and to encourage reusability.
“Storopack attaches great significance to this theory and aims to use at least 50% raw material made recycled or renewable resources by 2025.
“Furthermore, to promote reuse of plastics Storopack is a member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, and supports initiatives such as Big Blue Ocean Cleanup, in order to invest in efficient recycling systems in countries where the majority of pollution originates.
“Our Airplus 100% recycled film will shortly be launched. Made from 50% post-industrial and 50% post-consumer recycled waste, this is a further great stride towards meeting our sustainability targets. This will be a premium product as significant investment has been made to ensure it performs equally as well as virgin films.”
The impact of certain materials on the environment is never short of media coverage, even throughout the pandemic, and is increasingly on the minds of consumers. It is, therefore, a clear priority for most involved in the design, production and supply of protective packaging as well as the brands utilising it. The brands will also want to be reflected in the most appealing way and retailers are using protective packaging to achieve this in addition to damage prevention.
“Companies are willing to invest to get the right product presentation in order to create a fantastic unboxing experience for the consumer,” adds Pulfrey. “The protective packaging is often the first thing you see when you open a box, so if it is aesthetically pleasing it can accentuate the pleasure gained from receiving the goods themselves and encourage repeat ordering.”
So pleasure can be added to protection, planet and pandemic as key considerations right now and while the latter has had a devastating impact on many businesses, and the packaging industry as a whole has certainly not been exempt, there has been a silver lining for many protective packaging companies.
One such firm is global sustainable paper packaging specialist Ranpak, which produces void fill, cushioning, wrapping, cold chain solutions and box lining.
“Despite the disruption of the global economy due to Covid-19, Ranpak’s sustainable paper-based packaging solutions have benefited from the marked increase of e-commerce and consumer online shopping behaviour,” says Eric Laurensse, managing director Europe at Ranpak.
“The growth witnessed in online retail propelled Ranpak’s strong performance in 2020 and positions us well for 2021. Additionally, we have benefited over the last few years that consumers care more than ever about sustainability.
“Consumers increasingly seek out information on the sourcing of the products that they use and see pro-sustainability elements as a positive reflection of the brands with which they do business.”
Such increasingly knowledgeable consumers should be aware that transit is a major factor in getting certain food types, such as quality fruit and veg, on supermarket shelves. These food types have to be well protected throughout the supply chain.
Tosca (formerly known as Polymer Logistics) recently helped tomato producer the APS Group optimise its supply chain and it’s a story that has led to significant productivity improvement focused mainly on the primary role of protective packaging, while its reusable and space optimising solutions also help to tackle several environmental challenges.
Growing around 500 million tomatoes every year, the APS Group is the UK’s largest supplier of British tomatoes to the high street and responsible for around 30% of production in the country.
As the operation continued to grow in complexity, APS Group turned to Tosca as it looked to develop its supply chain further to enhance productivity and efficiency.
The first step was to replace the crates APS Group used to transport the tomatoes from greenhouses to packhouse. The company had been using deep crates but for fear of damaging the products, was not able to fill them to the top.
Tosca replaced the deep crates with its Polynest shallow trays, ideal for optimising space during storage and transport while the durable design ensures that products are fully protected throughout the journey.
Next, Tosca focused on enhancing hygiene in greenhouse operations, replacing the existing solution with its Cleanpal pallets, which are an example of the unique protective qualities of plastic that tend to get lost in sustainability discussions. Unlike wood, plastic is non-permeable, reducing the risk of potential pests or disease entering the greenhouse within pallets.
Finally, to move the tomatoes from storage to store as smoothly as possible, Tosca provided APS Group with Universal Display Pallets (UDP) which are easy and secure to stack, saving truck and storage space.
Once the products reach the store, the pallet and its contents are instantly ready for display.
While the project highlights productivity and efficiency benefits, one important environmental factor is food waste and packaging’s role in mitigating is often overlooked. Along with the many supply chain efficiency improvements, APS Group has been able to further reduce waste as a result of this project.
“We needed a comprehensive solution that would enable us to protect the quality of our products while introducing new efficiency into our supply chain,” says Dave Hughes, purchasing manager, APS Group. “Tosca has helped us ensure that the products are kept fresher for longer, and the journey from farm to store is quicker, enabling us to cut product waste and unlock new levels of productivity.”
From e-commerce to high street retail, protective packaging innovation, across a variety of markets, is clearly helping brands, retailers and consumers to adapt to modern shopping behaviour. The category has made impressive strides in delivering the kind of environmentally-friendly solutions that will go a long way towards satisfying the increasing demands of clued-up consumers
