Resource efficient packaging
Andy DaweHead of Retail Programmes WRAP
Presentation outline
•Introduction to WRAP•Why is packaging optimisation
important?•Recycling•Delivering optimised packaging•Tools to help
Introduction to WRAP
WRAP – Waste & Resources Action Programme
• Private company, funded by Defra and the devolved administrations
• WRAP helps individuals, businesses and local authorities to reduce waste and recycle more, making better use of resources and helping to tackle climate change.
Our priority areas
Packaging
CollectionSystems
Quality ofMaterials
Food Waste
THE RESOURCE EFFICIENCY LOOP
Why is this important?
Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit
New Packaging Strategy, to be developed within the framework of the Waste Strategy for England (2007)
Encourage prevention, reuse and recycling
Improve information flow
New Courtauld Commitment style voluntary agreements for packaging reductions by 2012 and new objective to encourage use of recycled materials
Courtauld Commitment
The signatories commit to supporting WRAP in the achievement of its objectives:
• To design out packaging waste growth by 2008
• To deliver absolute reductions in packaging waste by 2010
• Reduce the amount of food wasted in UK homes by 155,000 t by March 2010
Removal of packaging at check-out
Source: The Guardian, 15th November 2006
• Landfill: zero food and packaging waste to landfill from 2015
• Commercial and industrial wastes: to achieve a 20% absolute reduction in food and packaging waste arising at food and drink manufacturing premises by 2010 against a 2006 baseline
• Primary packaging: to make a significant contribution to WRAP’s work to achieve an absolute reduction in the level of packaging reaching households by 2010, compared to 2005
• Labeling and information: to provide more advice to consumers on how best to recycle or otherwise recover used packaging
Waste prevention reviews
Supporting the FDF's 5 fold Environmental Ambition
Thinking differently through considering food and packaging from factory to fork with 'lean' thinking in resource efficiency
Will develop and share good practice through case studies
A number of benefits are being quantified - cost and carbon
Integrating primary, secondary &
tertiary packaging Cereal carton size 50T CO2
14T
44T CO2
4T
6T CO2 264m2X 10
Materials: carton board and corrugated storage distribution
For 1million cereal packets sold:
By reducing the carton of a cereal pack by the dimensions of a small matchbox (8 x 35mm) the end result would be a reduction in material usage of 18T (50T CO2), saving of finished goods storage area equivalent to a tennis court (264m2) and
the removal of 10 vehicles off the road for trunking of stock.
Recycling
Last year 8.7 million tonnes of waste was recycled in England alone.
More than doubled in the past 5 years.
Yet recent negative reports question its worth.
IS RECYCLING WORTH IT?
We need three earths to sustain the way we live today.
It is key that we address this issue now as there is still much more to be done.
Markets are stabilising and demand is increasing. End markets are being explored. Recycling is working but we must continue the
momentum. We must focus on the resource efficiency loop which
will bring real benefits to the economy.
Delivering optimised packaging
Your options:• Remove packaging completely• De-layer the pack• Reduce the number of components in a pack• Down-gauge packaging material (make it thinner)• Light-weighting and right-weighting a pack• Right-sizing (reducing the head space in a pack or offering a
range of portion sizes to customers)• Refill packs / reusable packs (simplification?)• Changing packaging formats and materials• Structural re-design or re-engineering of the pack• Concentrates, product compaction and reformulation
De-layering: Cadbury’s Treasure Eggs
Tesco 68% less packaging
Starpack Gold Medal Winner
De-layering and simplification:
M&S: 69% less packaging and
6 days more shelf-life
Thinking Differently
• Thermoformed trays replaced with vacuum pack or flow wrapped bags
• ‘Organisation rails’ provide order and consistency to presentation
• Extra surface area used for product and brand communication
Your options:• Remove packaging completely• De-layer the pack• Reduce the number of components in a pack• Down-gauge packaging material (make it thinner)• Light-weighting and right-weighting a pack• Right-sizing (reducing the head space in a pack or offering a
range of portion sizes to customers)• Refill packs / reusable packs (simplification?)• Changing packaging formats and materials• Structural re-design or re-engineering of the pack• Concentrates, product compaction and reformulation• Pack innovation (breaking the category rules?)
Reducing packaging componentsSavings:•Greencore Frozen Foods has
reduced the pack weight of five different products by an average of nearly 70% during 2007, saving 115 tonnes of plastic
•Move away from packing in multiple plastic trays inside bags to new “form and fill” technology, whereby products are placed loose in film bags.
•More products can fit on each pallet – helping to reduce transport needs
Your options:• Remove packaging completely• De-layer the pack• Reduce the number of components in a pack• Down-gauge packaging material (make it thinner)• Light-weighting and right-weighting a pack• Right-sizing (reducing the head space in a pack or offering a
range of portion sizes to customers)• Refill packs / reusable packs (simplification?)• Changing packaging formats and materials• Structural re-design or re-engineering of the pack• Concentrates, product compaction and reformulation• Pack innovation (breaking the category rules?)
Can light-weighting
Savings:•5% weight saving (15,000 tonnes)•New can body target thickness is only
0.097mm wide – about the width of a human hair
•Over 6.5 billion cans so far, saving 88,000 tonnes of CO2
•Average 50% recycled content
Manufacturer:•Beverage Can Makers Europe
Brand-owner:•Coca Cola (Europe) Ltd
Aluminium can light-weighting
Your options:• Remove packaging completely• De-layer the pack• Reduce the number of components in a pack• Down-gauge packaging material (make it thinner)• Light-weighting and right-weighting a pack• Right-sizing (reducing the head space in a pack or offering a
range of portion sizes to customers)• Refill packs / reusable packs (simplification?)• Changing packaging formats and materials• Structural re-design or re-engineering of the pack• Concentrates, product compaction and reformulation• Pack innovation (breaking the category rules?)
Structural re-design
The old and new Coca Cola
Contour bottles
Ultra lightweight formats
10g ‘no-
bottle’ USA
Your options:• Remove packaging completely• De-layer the pack• Reduce the number of components in a pack• Down-gauge packaging material (make it thinner)• Light-weighting and right-weighting a pack• Right-sizing (reducing the head space in a pack or
offering a range of portion sizes to customers)• Refill packs / reusable packs (simplification?)• Changing packaging formats and materials• Structural re-design or re-engineering of the pack• Concentrates, product compaction and reformulation• Pack innovation (breaking the category rules?)
Optimisation tactics – Reducing headroom
Your options:• Remove packaging completely• De-layer the pack• Reduce the number of components in a pack• Down-gauge packaging material (make it thinner)• Light-weighting and right-weighting a pack• Right-sizing (reducing the head space in a pack or offering a
range of portion sizes to customers)• Refill packs / reusable packs • Changing packaging formats and materials• Structural re-design or re-engineering of the pack• Concentrates, product compaction and reformulation• Pack innovation (breaking the category rules?)
59g
23g
Refills offer easy materials savings opportunities and the ability to innovate
Innovation in refill packs and ease of use
The old and new Boots ‘Botanics Essentials’ gift sets
Pack simplification and reusability
Reuse is even better
Project Sofa
Returnable packaging
Logistics are key
Your options:• Remove packaging completely• De-layer the pack• Reduce the number of components in a pack• Down-gauge packaging material (make it thinner)• Light-weighting and right-weighting a pack• Right-sizing (reducing the head space in a pack or offering a
range of portion sizes to customers)• Refill packs / reusable packs (simplification?)• Changing packaging formats and materials• Structural re-design or re-engineering of the pack• Concentrates, product compaction and reformulation• Pack innovation (breaking the category rules?)
Changing pack format and materials
Weight: 54g
15g 49g
Format Change
•Same quantity of soup in a third of the material.
•Pouch is the premium product
Your options:• Remove packaging completely• De-layer the pack• Reduce the number of components in a pack• Down-gauge packaging material (make it thinner)• Light-weighting and right-weighting a pack• Right-sizing (reducing the head space in a pack or offering a
range of portion sizes to customers)• Refill packs / reusable packs (simplification?)• Changing packaging formats and materials• Structural re-design or re-engineering of the pack• Concentrates, product compaction and reformulation• Pack innovation (breaking the category rules?)
Asda Café Sandwiches:• 56% packaging savings• Better product
visibility• Flow wrap retains
freshness for longer• Better cube efficiency
in distribution
Before: 16g
After: 7g
Structural re-design
By using a folding box design rather than the former box and lid, the company has reduced the weight of the packaging from 68g for 200g of product to 26g for 160g of product, achieving a 48 per cent weight for weight saving.
Your options:• Remove packaging completely• De-layer the pack• Reduce the number of components in a pack• Down-gauge packaging material (make it thinner)• Light-weighting and right-weighting a pack• Right-sizing (reducing the head space in a pack or offering a
range of portion sizes to customers)• Refill packs / reusable packs (simplification?)• Changing packaging formats and materials• Structural re-design or re-engineering of the pack• Concentrates, product compaction and reformulation• Pack innovation (breaking the category rules?)
Complete product reformulation
2 x concentrated fruit squash
Double concentrated squash means the 3L squash bottle has been replaced with a 1.5L bottle, generating a bottle weight saving of 35g (46%) and avoiding the need for a handle.
This innovation generates a saving of 469 tonnes of plastic per year.
Some tools to help
Thank you