Henkel criticises lack of global focus in packaging strategy

The strategy, published last month, looks at areas such as recyclability and reusable packaging, but John Hayes, Henkel safety, health and environment compliance manager for the UK and Ireland, pointed to the volume of goods purchased by UK consumers from overseas firms.

Hayes said that while some areas, such as the US and EU, had good track records on recyclability, it was important to establish global rather than country specific standards for transport packaging as well as primary goods packaging.

“It’s going to be difficult to influence other countries, particularly outside the EU, but there was very little on that in the strategy,” he said.

Hayes told Packaging News there was a lot in the strategy that showed government thinking was moving in the right direction, but it remained to be seen how it was put into practice.

Hayes said more work was needed to help raise smaller companies’ awareness of packaging requirements.

“For global multinationals it makes sense to invest in packaging design, for reasons of cost reduction and sustainability. Smaller enterprises tend to purchase packaging off the shelf and have little expertise in this area,” he said.

There was also little mention in the strategy of how transport packaging could be designed to be reusable as well as recyclable.

The packaging strategy was published last month to a generally positive reception from the packaging industry. Click here to read more reaction from across the packaging industry.

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