Dick Searle’s letter to retailers

17th April 2007

Dear Sir Terry,

I am writing to you as Chief Executive of The Packaging Federation – the over-arching trade association for the UK Packaging Manufacturing Industry. The collective turnover of our industry is some £10 billion and we employ 85,000 people in the UK. Before taking on my current role this year, I worked for some 40 years in the industry – the last 30 plus as CEO of a number of groups (including two quoted companies) across a variety of sectors. I am passionate about this industry and proud of the contribution that it has made to society today.

The continuous attacks on packaging by media, politicians, green groups et al are, naturally, of considerable concern and consternation to our industry and, I suspect, to your company as well. Packaging is visible and makes an easy and “soft” target and will continue to do so until there is a much better understanding of the positive benefits of our products and the huge difference that they have made to your business, retailing in general, society’s shopping and eating patterns and the minimisation of waste in the food chain.

Clearly, the attacks are out of all proportion to the real impact that packaging has on the environment. By DEFRA’s own figures, used packaging accounts for just 3% of landfill and 18% of household waste. On an energy intensity basis, the energy used to make the daily packaging for an average household is equivalent to that household driving their car for one mile.
 

We are aware, of course, of the undertakings that you have made under the auspices of the Courtauld Commitment and, as a highly innovative and service focussed industry, we stand ready to support you and WRAP in achieving these commitments. However, in doing so, we believe that it is vitally important that your customers have a much better understanding of the function and benefits of the packaging that is so frequently attacked as being “unnecessary”.

If we are to avoid continuing, ill-informed attacks on packaging, we believe that it is essential that the whole of the supply chain should unite in explaining and promoting the role of packaging in society today. Too often in the past our collective response to attacks has been feeble or non-existent. I do not believe that we can afford to remain silent any longer.

As a major retailer, you are hugely influential in shaping consumers’ opinions and I believe that now is the time, supported by the rest of the supply chain, that your influence should be used.

As The Packaging Federation, we would be delighted to work with you on this and look forward to your response.

Thank you for your time.

Best wishes,

Yours sincerely,

Dick Searle

R.J.Searle   CCMI

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