Sustainable packaging & the role of eco friendly stand up pouches

Why is sustainable packaging important?

The environmental impact of product packaging is evident across all industries, from single-use plastics that are being used for food packaging, to cosmetic packaging that isn’t widely recyclable and is being sent to landfill. The way goods are being packaged and consumed leads to ecological problems such as the burning of greenhouse gases and improper disposal that leads to issues such as the great Pacific garbage patch or foods being wasted before ever being consumed.

Producers and consumers both have a responsibility when it comes to using and disposing of products and their packaging, but without proper consideration of how a product is packaged, problems can arise before goods ever reach the shelves.

What is the solution for sustainable packaging?

Sustainability should be considered at the very start of your product’s lifecycle, and the packaging you choose has an impact on many factors such as transport costs, storage, shelf life of goods and how your consumers dispose of your packaging. Finding the right packaging for your product needs to consider all of these factors, how well suited it is to your type of product, and where it will be sold. Some important things to consider to achieve sustainable packaging include:
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1. Opt for a packaging type that keeps your goods fresher for longer, protecting them from contamination. This increases the shelf life and reduces the likelihood of goods being sent to waste.
2. Minimise the number of packaging parts used. If you can find a single packaging option that meets your needs, it can help to reduce transport and production costs compared to using additional material parts. 
3. Choose packaging that’s a single recyclable material rather than options that feature materials of different types that make them difficult to recycle.
4. Find a packaging partner focused on sustainability so that you can be advised on the various options available to you and the choices you can make during the packaging development process.
5. Include information for your customers to understand how to recycle your packaging and which parts are suitable to be recycled.
6. Use packaging that doesn’t waste space. This means that your product will fit well into the container rather than leaving empty space, leading to reduced transportation costs and C02 emissions.
7. Avoid leaflets, flyers or other cutouts. If you can find a packaging option that allows you to print all of the information you need on the product or packaging itself, it minimises the number of materials being sent with your product.
8. Order your packaging in larger quantities where possible, as this reduces the resources required during manufacturing and transport. It can also prove to be a more cost-effective way to source packaging materials.

How can businesses benefit from a sustainable packaging solution?

With all of the extra consideration required for sustainable packaging, businesses must also benefit from adopting them. While reducing the impact on the environment is a benefit in itself, if a company does not also benefit from this change, it becomes ineffective for them to use sustainable packaging and will not be a viable option for them. Fortunately, sustainable packaging can offer many benefits, such as:
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1. Many consumers are considering sustainability when purchasing, and importantly 75% of millennials said it’s an important factor for them. This means that companies can meet the needs of their users and secure a long term customer base by moving to sustainable packaging sooner rather than later.
2. Where other competitors may not be offering a more sustainable version of their product, this opens an opportunity for other companies to stand out and differentiate themselves in markets that may otherwise be crowded.
3. Reducing the transportation and storage costs will directly benefit the costs associated with packaging. Any business selling a large number of products will understand that small percentage reductions in costs have a significant impact on profitability as they scale and grow.
4. If sustainable packaging also improves the shelf life of your products, then consumers will be receiving a higher quality product compared to cheaper and less sustainable options.
5. Making it easier for your customers to recycle and properly dispose of your products and packaging will improve their likelihood of recycling. With only 37% of consumers understanding what they can recycle, companies can make it easier for their customers to take the right action.
6. Showing that your business is environmentally focused, or at least taking steps to reduce its impact, can improve how the brand is perceived and help to attract customers that this is important to.