Packaging and plastics are the most important sustainability issues for food and drinks companies, according to research carried out by Bord Bia.
When asked which sustainability issues would become more important to their business in the next three years, packaging was the most cited topic by the commercial food buyers surveyed.
Bord Bia’s research found that this issue remains a major one for consumers of food also. Around three in every 10 consumers surveyed said that sustainable packaging influences choice when doing grocery shopping.
Bord Bia said the research findings were also reflected in its recent ‘Readiness Radar’ 2021 report, where packaging ranked as the number one sustainability priority for the 111 Irish food and drink businesses surveyed.
Later today (Wednesday, June 23), Bord Bia will launch updated packaging guidance for its Origin Green members to “support the industry’s ambition to reduce the amounts and types of raw materials used”.
The agri-food marketing agency said that over 130 attendees had registered for a webinar on the issue today.
To date, Origin Green members have committed to 258 packaging sourcing targets focusing on improving the sustainability, according to Bord Bia.
This includes using material that is recyclable; reducing the amount of material that the product uses; or sourcing certified sustainable material.
Deirdre Ryan, director of Origin Green, said today that “packaging optimisation…translates into less impact on the environment; reduced operational costs; and avoids contamination of food, which all together improve competitiveness and enhance the benefits for consumers”.
“However, we recognise that fully implementing an optimisation project which increases the sustainability of a product…is often a complex task. There is a wide choice of different materials, sizes and formats to choose from, as well as other factors to consider,” she added.
“We believe our new packaging guidelines being launched today will be of significant help to any company actively seeking to reduce the amount and types of packaging material used,” Ryan concluded.