PwC: packaging sector needs more consensus on sustainability

PwC said it was surprised that its first report looking solely at the packaging industry found sustainability had moved from being a niche issue to a core consideration, but highlighted there was still a lack of agreement as to what sustainable packaging actually is.

Packaging sector specialist Richard McCole told Packaging News: “One of the big problems is that everybody talks about ‘sustainable’ packaging, but there’s a lot of ignorance and confusion.

“One of the issues is that the industry has not been proactive in the debate and its been left to consumers and non-governmental organisations to define.”

The report was compiled by interviewing 20 senior executives in the European packaging sector and confirmed the impression that the sector was disproportionately scrutinised compared to the proportion of packaging waste in the waste stream.

“Consumers are seeing is packaging as 20-25% of what’s in their bin, which does not connect with packaging as part of the whole waste stream,” said McCole.

Bioplastics market
PwC also found that bioplastics were likely to remain a niche product for the time being due to concerns over costs and the conditions of degradability.

The report follows a study into the global forest, paper and packaging (FPP) sector that found emerging markets such as China were experiencing strong growth. Chief executives that operated in mature markets found were still cautious about growth but coincided that demand is unlikely to return to pre-financial crisis levels.

Global FPP leader Clive Suckling said: “The industry is standing on the brink of major changes and the need for transformation is generally accepted. Executives need to look beyond short-term survival to the long-term future of the companies and the new challenges ahead.”

PwC SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

Definition should include:

·Considered and effective reduction in weight and volume
·Reduction in waste to landfill through recyclability, reusability or degradability
·Reduction in air and water emissions
·Extended shelf life and reduced damage and contamination
·Effective communication of product to consumers

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