Unknowingly Sabotaging Your Sustainability Efforts? Assess Your Packaging Strategy
Explore key factors to consider when developing a sustainable packaging strategy, from material choices to supplier partnerships, to help your business reduce its environmental impact. ...
Your packaging could be undermining your sustainability efforts without you even realising it. While sustainability is a key priority for many businesses today, it’s easy to overlook how packaging choices impact your environmental footprint. By making informed decisions, you can align your packaging strategy with your sustainability goals.
Here are four practical ways to improve the sustainability of your packaging:
1. Focus on Recyclability and Recycled Content
Choosing packaging made from recycled materials helps reduce waste by giving post-consumer or post-industrial materials a second life. Equally important is selecting packaging that can be easily recycled, ideally via household recycling collections. This dual approach contributes to the circular economy by reducing landfill waste and promoting resource efficiency.
2. Consider Packaging Miles
Even before your packaging reaches you, it has a carbon footprint. Sourcing packaging from distant suppliers could potentially offset sustainable benefits due to increased transport emissions. By selecting packaging from local or regional sources when possible, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint while also improving supply chain efficiency.
3. Ensure Packaging is Fit for Purpose
Sustainable packaging must still perform its primary role: protecting your product. If produce is damaged or its shelf life is shortened due to ineffective packaging, the resulting food waste can have a greater environmental impact than the packaging itself. Investing in well-designed, durable packaging ensures you avoid unnecessary waste while keeping your product fresh and secure.
4. Partner with Like-Minded Businesses
Sustainability is a collective effort, and working with companies that share your values can amplify positive change. By collaborating with suppliers committed to transparency and environmentally-conscious practices, you contribute to a more sustainable industry while reinforcing your own environmental goals.
By taking these steps, you can improve the sustainability of your supply chain, reduce waste, and cut carbon emissions. At Produce Packaging, we are committed to helping businesses find solutions that support their sustainability efforts. Contact us to learn more about sustainable packaging options that align with your values.