The UK's IOP: The Packaging Society has welcomed the initiative taken by the Women¹s Institute to draw attention to the need for more sustainable packaging, whilst recognizing the essential role played by packaging in ensuring that food and other products arrive at the consumer in good condition and with the minimum of wastage.
“Many of our members are developing the use of new bio-degradable polymers or striving to make sure that packs use the least amount of materials whilst still meeting the essential requirements of pack integrity that customers demand,“ says Dr Paul Butler, vice chair of the society¹s board, “and
since the principal costs of packaging come from the materials used, it would be commercial suicide for packaging manufacturers to build in more packaging than absolutely necessary. But it is important to distinguish between a gift, such as a box of chocolates or an Easter egg, where the packaging forms an essential part of the emotional giving experience, and a commodity item such as a tin of beans.”
There is a perception that gift items are ‘overpackaged’, he acknowledges, “but how would your partner feel about receiving six chocolates in a paper bag for Valentine¹s Day?”
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