Environment

Envirowise and the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (Incpen) have produced a guide to help avoid spoiling products when looking to minimise packaging.

The Pack Guide: A Guide to Packaging Eco-Design is said to be an "invaluable daily working guide" for packaging designers, buyers and marketing managers and anyone interested in the environment and cost optimisation.

It details the considerations needed to develop pack systems that optimise use of materials, energy and water and minimise waste.

It looks at the trade-offs between different goals and gives practical examples of making sure products get to the end user in optimum condition, with the minimum environmental impact.

Incpen director Jane Bickerstaffe said the guide would "help fill the knowledge gap" in sustainable packaging design.

"Packaging design is not simply a matter of using recycled materials, it is more complex. But, it's also not complicated if the designer has a complete picture.

"There is a real need for a quick and easy to use reference document to help designers make good design decisions," she added.

The guide can be obtained via the Envirowise website by clicking here.