Is the solution clear?

Consumers are concerned about the environment and they want to buy products that are good for it. But, bombarded by retailer making a host of environmental claims, and manufacturers supplying a plethora of packaging mediums, they are confused as to what is ‘environmentally friendly’.

The result has been immense confusion in the mind of the average consumer. It has reached a point at which, I believe, people are beginning to give up worrying.

If a product is biocompostable but not collected and put into industrial compost, we have gained nothing. If a product is recyclable but not collected and put back into the recycle stream, and makes its way into landfill, what is the point?

If a board product, perceived by many as ‘green’, is coated then it is neither recyclable nor biodegradable. Indeed, the cost to do either is outweighed by the huge cost and increase in carbon footprint. If a biocompostable product has had to travel 5,000 miles to reach the consumer at a huge cost in carbon footprint, is it beneficial?

Every product has a story and is the market making money out of the mayhem?

Most consumers recycle at home or at work, or would like to if they could, so the will is there, but the knowledge to make the choice often is not.

This question often creates debate, but to provoke thought I must ask: does the consumer care if it hits their pocket? And does the retailer care if it hits their profit?

In my opinion, they both care but do not want it to affect their pockets and are prepared to pay very little extra for the privilege. Given that most environmental solutions are a little more expensive, it is somewhat of a Catch 22.

As we are currently going through a recession, this does not help the environmental drive we are on.

Until now, for much of the sandwich, snack and bakery industry, including some of the multiple retailers, being environmentally friendly has meant a move to board packs. Over the past two to three years, I have seen a concerted effort by the board suppliers to drive through sales on the basis of the environmental benefits of board packaging, over those of more familiar materials such as PVC and APET.

I am worried that the industry is giving up the advantages of clear packaging too easily. The clarity of PVC/APET and other such materials gives the consumer a good feeling when choosing a product. It gives clarity to see the ingredients, which helps impulse purchase.

Why then have we forgotten this? Or have we? Maybe the board revolution will turn out to be a fad, or a conspiracy by marketeers telling us that the marketing opportunities offered by board packs are the way forward.

All of these are possibly in part right, but it all seems to be disguised under the banner of ‘environmentally better’. The commitment by some has partly endorsed the story and, indeed, the clamour for the product.

I was convinced I had a better answer to environmentally friendly packaging with PLA (poly lactic acid) derived from cornstarch. This product met or beat the compostability and degradability offered by board, but most importantly of all it is produced from sustainable sources. I believe this is one of the most important environmental issues.

Tri-Star launched its first biodegradable sandwich wedge in 2006, in PLA, which looks and works exactly like a clear plastics. Unfortunately it didn’t take off, due to it being viewed as price prohibitive. This backs my earlier comment: does the retailer care if it hits their pocket?

With that in mind, Tri-Star has now launched a range of recycled and recyclable rPET food packaging to the UK sandwich, snack and bakery markets. Simply recycled PET sourced from a growing supply of post-consumer waste such as drinks bottles, rPET is a sustainable, proven food packaging material and competitively priced. This environmental solution in no way compromises on quality or presentation.

I doubt whether the sandwich industry’s move to board will continue. Having watched already in some cases the move back away from it, I look forward with interest as to where the market will go.

My view is that the next two years will see a concentrated drive towards recyclability and products made with a recycled content. So rPET, the latest ‘green’ product on the block, looks promising. Coupled with the fact that new recycling plant has been commissioned and more are on the way, it would be fair to say that the way forward looks ‘clear’.

Kevin Curran is MD of food packaging specialist Tri-Star