Consumers ‘lack awareness’ of packaging’s role in the supply chain

Unilever packaging sustainability director Stephen Carter pointed out that transit packs were not covered by the Courtauld Commitment, the agreement by retailers and brand owners to reduce packaging.

He also said transit packs often needed to be strengthened as a result of the lightweighting of primary packs, in order to provide greater protection.

And he said packaging technologists chose the material that "does the job" and it would be "crazy" to select a material just because it was recyclable.

Jane Bickerstaffe, director of the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (Incpen), said hard-to-recycle materials such as laminates were sometimes the best option to move goods from "A to B".

The panel, which also included Dr Robert Chilton, a member of the National Consumer Council board, appeared to agree with Carter's view that consumers' general perception of packaging design "needs to meet reality".

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