Today we chat to Adam Jeffries, Integrated Packaging’s Category Manager for Produce, Agriculture and Horticulture, about the benefits of flexible packaging.
Q: Hi Adam, can you explain the importance of Flexible packaging and what kinds of challenges do you face?
I see the biggest challenge as educating consumers about the sustainable advantages flexible packaging products offers today. These benefits include a lower carbon footprint, easier storage, extended shelf life and less waste.
Flexible packaging is currently the best environmental choice because it uses fewer resources, generates fewer emissions and creates less waste in the first place. Ongoing Packaging Innovations are allowing to film to become stronger, thinner and more cost effective to the end user.
Some innovative features developed for flexible packaging add convenience including; spouts, zip locks and resealable seals. One of the important keys for communicating effectively through flexible packaging is giving the customer something that instantly makes sense.
For users in other markets such as Agriculture and Horticulture, the improved cling properties and thinner film gauge often results in produce retaining freshness for extended periods of time thereby reducing food wastage. Advanced UV properties ensure that produce, bales and fodder are not spoiled by extreme weather conditions and farmers are increasing production of viable product.
Q: What do you see as the overarching benefits of flexible packaging??
One of the main advantages of flexible films is that it does not require as much raw resources to manufacture, and the materials can be reused and recycled. Flexible packaging generates a smaller environmental footprint considering all impacts throughout a package’s life cycle. It requires less energy and water to manufacture and transport, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel usage. Flexible packaging also produces a higher product-to-package ratio for less resource consumption and reduced total waste.
The cost of manufacturing flexible packaging is also lower than more traditional packaging, partly because it requires less materials. Even if the product requires multilayer films to create more secure barriers, the customer will still save money. The strong durable film also protects the packaging from tearing in the supply chain and at the retail store. Another affordable quality of flexible packaging is that it can lead to a higher product-to-package ratio, which lowers manufacturing costs.
Flexible packaging results in several sustainability benefits throughout the entire life cycle of the package, when compared to other package formats.
These include:
- Material/resource efficiency
- Lightweight
- Transportation benefits
- Shelf life extension
- Reduced materials to landfill
- Improved product-to-package ratio
Q: How does flexible packaging improve Shelf Life and reduce food waste?
Every year in Australia almost 300kg of food is wasted per person, costing the Australian economy around $20 billion*. Food waste typically ends up in landfill, where it anaerobically decomposes, expelling methane – a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
We manufacture flexible packaging that extends shelf life of food products, resulting in less GHG and methane in landfills caused by food waste. This technology allows for the transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide that reduces the impact of food quality degradation. Keeping produce fresher for longer alleviates premature ripening and rot, meaning produce can withstand extended periods in transit and still be delivered fresh to supermarket shelves ready for safe consumption.
Advances in airtight, anti-microbial materials and flexible packaging, such as PVC food films, produce bags and micro-perforated bags, play integral roles in protecting and extending shelf life and significantly reducing food wastage. Integrated Packaging also utilises PerfoTec Laser Perforation to create high precision holes in the packaging which allow the produce to breathe. This further enhances the shelf life of food and saves the customer money on reduced freight costs and less food waste.
flexible packaging laser perforation technology]
Q: You mentioned flexible packaging provides transportation benefits. Can you explain?
Transportation space is costly and flexible packaging offers a higher product-to-package ratio for less resource consumption and reduced total waste. When a product is lightweight it can reduce shipping costs compared with heavier items. Lightweight objects are easy to transport and take up less space than heavier items of the same size. Regardless of the form the package takes, it is usually much lighter than conventional packaging.
Flexible packaging uses less material overall requiring less transportation and storage space than other packaging options, also reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Plastic packaging facilitates weight savings of more than 78% compared to alternative packaging materials. And flexible pouches require less cargo space than glass containers when used for the same amount of food. These types of space-saving advantages help companies reduce total shipping and receiving costs. Also, fewer trucks and pallets are required to transport and store flexible packaging further reduces energy consumption and the use of other valuable natural resources.
Speak to the Flexible Packaging Experts
For more information on the benefits of flexible plastics, our sustainability credentials and innovations, contact Integrated Packaging.
