Does Reduced Packaging mean Reduced Ethical Consumption?

Is there a bad side to reducing packaging? Ethical Consumption's look into what's what in the sustainable business world continues with a look at packaging.

According to the Global Packaging Project (GPP), the answer is 'yes' to a downside and it could be more wasteful than the original packaging. So what is it and how can I avoid it? Read on to find out.

The Cons The report found that some reduced packaging ventures were resulting in increased product damage. Since packaging's original purpose was to protect the product during transport and make it appealing to customers to purchase, it can be difficult to design packaging to suit everyone's needs. Some companies scaled down to almost no packaging at all, leaving their fragile products without protection and then a mess for every supplier involved with broken product arrived at stores.

The Pros Design flaws, such as packaging that does not adequately protect the product during transport, are fixable and are just that flaws. It is not necessarily a larger indicator of reduced and sustainable packaging not being a worthwhile venture. Reduced packaging and sustainability efforts are on the rise and although design flaws, and communications between transport experts and designers is still being ironed out, the impact as a whole is good. The GPP recommended Life Cycle Analysis (LCAs) so that suppliers and manufacturers understand every step of the packaging's process to avoid design flaws.

The Reality So the message is "Proceed with Caution" when it comes to packaging. When Wal-Mart originally came out with their Sustainability Scorecard and pushed suppliers to "reduce their packaging or else", stagnant industries got-a-movin'. Several companies admitted that their packaging for transport and products hadn't been reviewed in a decade or so. With that the advent of increased eco-efficiencies hit the transportation and packaging sector. The majority of companies saw a quick payback period. They had less waste or recycleable material to dispose of, and were able to make one-time investments in crates and other long-term solutions. Although industries did take an unexpected hit from this global supplier stipulation, most of who adapted with an innovative solution ended up on top. They continue to be suppliers for the largest big box store, and they have less costs associated with packaging.

Ethical consumption would encourage you to find the product with the least amount of packaging on the shelf. But as this report highlights, sometimes that isn't the only thing to consider. Global efforts like the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, the Global Packaging Project, and other groups can provide education on different industry concerns and stances. As for each of us, it can help us see who is an active participant in the decision-making of voluntary packaging regulations and who is waiting at the sidelines. An increasing amount of businesses are advertising their packaging impact, so feel free to do some fact-checking of your own to see who is really making a difference!

Photo Credit: Salzar