As clear as plastic

With the EU banning the use of single use plastics such as cutlery, straws and stirrers from 2021, and a greater awareness by consumers on plastic pollution following BBC programmes such as Blue Planet 2 and War on Plastic there is much greater focus by businesses within the food and drink sector on how they can reduce their plastic waste. 

In October, as part the Queens Speech, the new Environment Bill was put to Parliament and includes key waste management issues such as a waste deposit return scheme and putting the responsibility of waste back onto the producer which would have a significant impact on food and drink businesses.

However, changing your packaging can cause a serious headache and poses some serious challenges:

1. Practicality and cost – one of the main reasons plastic is used is because it is a durable material that is cheap to produce. Many alternatives are significantly more expensive which either means profitability reduces, or the cost is passed onto the consumer which could have a potential impact on sales. The change in material may also mean that the functionality of the product may not be as good for the consumer which again could have a negative impact on sales.
    
2. Compliance – any alternative needs to be able to meet the regulations set by the Food Standards Agency. There has recently been an increased awareness of the level of microplastics given off from tea bags for example and the effects they could have on our health. 
    
3. Reusability– can the product be recycled easily and be brought back into use cheaply and sustainably. Often what we think is a green solution can end up having a greater negative impact on the environment in the longer term. Sometimes it may be the case that plastic might actually be the best.
    
4. Time and resource – developing your own new packaging solution can take a significant amount of time and effort, with often a high chance of failure. Whilst this can be a big resource drain, at least there is a tax relief opportunity through R&D tax credits. 

It’s not only plastic use that is driving this shift in packaging. Earlier in October Carlsberg announced it had developed a paper bottle to replace its glass ones with the aim to reach zero carbon emissions and reduce the impact through its supply chain. On the face of it this seems a brilliant solution and has created a fantastic PR opportunity for the business, although we would question how reusable the material is and how easy it is to recycle as opposed to other alternatives as well as the impact on de-forestation the switch to wood might impose.

All in all it’s a very changeable landscape at the moment, but revisiting your packaging needs could end up saving your business thousands