Tackling the waste issue

6 March 2013



Food waste is an issue that isn’t going away, with two billion tonnes lost around the world each year. Andrew Copson, managing director of Sharpak Yate and Sharpak Bridgwater, explains how the industry is responding to the problem and helping to cut its impact on the environment


A recent report on food wastage reveals that two billion tonnes is lost around the world each year. This is sadly no surprise to me but serves as a timely reminder that food packaging has a critical role to play.

If consumers in the developed economies are throwing away edible food for reasons of perceived freshness and product appearance, then I would strongly suggest that the developments that have been made in food packaging need to be continued and expanded to assist with food preservation and reduced food waste.

Our industry is resolved to ‘doing its bit’ through the design of packaging that helps food retain its freshness and appeal.

Over recent years, we’ve seen continual innovations that enhance packaging, such as Modified Atmosphere Packaging, to help food stay fresh; advances that assist waste reduction in the home, such as re-sealable products and skin packaging that extend shelf and fridge life for some meat products. We’ve also simplified design strategies, reshaping ranges to include ‘dividers’ to ensure meat is separated when freezing, enabling consumers to utilise one portion at a time.

With these industry advancements, food wastage is reduced. Re-sealable packaging, extended fridge life, dividing food portions all contribute to reducing the food wastage in the home.

In addition, evolving innovations have seen a step change in the way recycled material is utilised.

 

Lightening the burden
The move to lighten the burden of packaging on the environment will continue to be a driving force behind developments in production processes over the coming year and beyond, and this will go hand in hand with innovation.

Industry leaders such as Sharpak are utilising material science to increase the functionality of packaging. The introduction of technologies such as anti-microbial packaging – a solution that reduces germ growth – demonstrates odour control and can help in the development of increased shelf life and product freshness.

Increasing shelf life through these natural methods will increase food safety and help prevent unnecessary food waste. I believe enhancing shelf life and reducing food wastage will provide huge benefits to the environment and we are pleased to be playing a major part in this.

 

Lighter load
Amongst the continued complexities of innovation, the design of lighter-weight packages also plays an important role in reducing food wastage. Reduced weight means less waste, a lighter load for transportation and fewer materials required for production.

It’s also crucial that we do not compromise on packaging’s primary roles of preserving and presenting the packaged product. This is familiar territory for us and the key players in our industry, and I am of the firm belief that we will continue to invest in the best equipment, processes and people as the routes to achieving lightweight packaging which preserves its integrity while benefiting the environment.

The industry is also considering how to best feed material wastage back into the packaging process but still retain the integrity of the product. At Sharpak we not only use food-approved recyclate, but also incorporate our own recyclate and mineral-based fillers into the manufacturing process to produce low carbon solutions.

The composition of our c-LOW punnets, the lowest carbon punnets on the market, also means they can be recycled by the consumer and this material can then be fed back into the manufacturing process.

 

It’s a material world
We have made significant inroads into reducing the carbon footprint of packaging, and it’s an area where we continue to strive for improvement.

Our industry will improve and deliver innovative solutions which contribute to the environmental profile of our packs and the products they contain.

There is always more work to be done, but I would strongly suggest that the continual process of small innovations that help industry developments in food packaging represent one important step in successfully tackling the crucial economic and social issue of food wastage.

We remain committed to addressing all concerns surrounding food waste, but we will also never forget the fundamental role of our products – to ensure safe, efficient supply and presentation of our customers’ products to their customers.

 

Views expressed on this page are those of the author and may not be shared by this publication

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