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Packaging

and the Environment

Dick Searle

Chief Executive

The Packaging Federation

Stationers’ Summer Forum – June 2010

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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 as though less

packaging would make the world a better place!

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But some “Factual” reminders

Packaging is <3% of landfill Global carbon footprint of packaging including disposal is

<2% and it saves far more carbon than it uses It uses <1.5% of the UK’s resources and saves far more Packaging accounts for <5% of GHG Emissions of the UK

Food and Drink supply chain And what would the supply chain emissions be without it? On average, 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 household food waste bin has more than

TEN times the impact of packaging waste

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Some Interesting Moral Choices

Carbon footprint of goods & services is driven by consumers But politicians expect business alone to compensate for this –

so no leadership & “political cowardice” Are consumer choices alone morally acceptable? If so, will we see the political pressure on European Industry

create massive “Carbon Leakage”? If not, who is going to take the lead in consumer education

and choice editing? Where will packaging sit in all of this? And does it make any

difference to the environment? YES IT DOES! IT HELPS THE ENVIRONMENT & SOCIETY It enables us to get the goods that we crave with minimal

damage and thereby minimises the environmental impact of the goods themselves

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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 must play an

inevitable and unavoidable role in this Current supply chain losses of 40-60% in less developed

countries are unacceptable (vs estimated <3% 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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And the “Appliance of Science”

Must see packaging being viewed on the basis of science – not politics and media myths

Could start by addressing contents of Defra’s “Food 2030” – only addresses packaging in the context of reducing it!

And “making more of our essential packaging recyclable” – so what about functionality e.g. “meat packaging”?!

One plus from all the UK attention on packaging is that our industry leads the world in packaging innovation

The use of “science” in innovative packaging has been a huge driver in the last few decades

And Packaging has enabled fundamental changes in product offerings and retail methodology

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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 At a time when the world faces dramatic challenges on the

security, sustainability and development of its food supply, it needs the scientific and innovative skills of the packaging industry to meet them

So there’s a bright & necessary future for packaging As long as the politicians are guided by scientific reality and

focus on the real environmental challenges and acknowledge packaging as a solution not a problem!!