As the pace of change accelerates around the world, consumers are demanding more from the products and services they buy. These demands are prompting brands to adopt a responsible approach that is consistent with their values, as well as opening up to new trends in terms of eco-responsible packaging.
It is vital to find solutions that encompass both social and environmental issues. The ecological transition is no longer an option for brands, it’s a necessity.
The packaging sector is directly concerned, and eco-design is your best ally.
What does eco-design involve? Why use it? What are the key stages to follow?
MPO takes you through the basics of this method, which covers the entire product life cycle.
What is eco-design?
The plastic reduction approach is a fundamental initiative in the packaging sector. However, it does not sum up the challenges of eco-design. Although paper and cardboard appear to be much less polluting materials, it is important to consider the source of these products, the choice of production channels and recyclability.
Eco-design allows us to approach the development of a product by thinking through its entire life cycle. From the choice of raw materials to manufacturing methods, distribution and the end-of-life of your products, each stage can contribute to reducing your ecological footprint.
The life cycle of packaging involves a number of different stages:
Raw materials
The manufacture of the packaging
Distribution of the product to the place where it will be used
Use of the product
End of product life
An eco-design approach consists of analysing each stage in the packaging’s life cycle in order to take into account its full environmental impact. The aim is then to reduce this impact by activating levers.
4 good reasons to eco-design your packaging
FOR THE PLANET
When we think about the carbon footprint of packaging, we think more about the materials used and their recyclability than about the method by which the raw material was extracted or its impact on the environment. Yet the impact is global. With each new packaging product, there are consequences for human health, ecosystems, biodiversity and the pollution generated.
Thanks to an in-depth analysis of each stage in the life cycle of your packaging, you will be able to determine which processes can be optimised to limit the environmental impact.
TO COMPLY WITH LEGISLATION
Regulations are gradually requiring companies to make efforts to reduce their environmental impact.
Since 2018, a strong and committed legislative timetable has been rolled out with the aim of making economic players more responsible and getting them to give priority to eco-design principles.
– The Circular Economy Roadmap – April 2018 – https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/feuille-route-economie-circulaire-frec
– Circular economy package – June 2018 – https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/PE-11-2019-REV-1/fr/pdf
– The Egalim law – May 2019 – https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000037547946/
– More recently, the law on the fight against waste and the circular economy, passed on 10 February 2020, aims to accelerate the change in production and consumption models. This is based on several major guidelines: reducing waste and moving away from disposable plastic, better informing consumers, taking action against waste, better production and combating illegal dumping.
TO CONTROL YOUR COSTS
Optimising eco-design enables a series of actions to be taken that can lead to a reduction in costs.
First of all, the reduction in raw materials and energy inevitably leads to savings in purchasing. In addition, optimising manufacturing and transport can lead to considerable reductions in manufacturing and logistics costs. Examples include measures to reduce off-cuts, improve palletisation and reduce transport distances.
Finally, taking into account the end-of-life of products and reducing waste has a direct positive impact on waste treatment taxes.
TO STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD AND ADD VALUE TO YOUR PRODUCT
Eco-design can also be a powerful lever for raising your profile and increasing your sales. It is a way of satisfying consumers who are looking for brands that are more respectful of the environment.
According to the Oney study on consumer expectations and concerns, with a particular focus on sustainable consumption(https://www.oney.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ETUDE-CONSO-RAISONNEE-FR.jpg), 90% of consumers expect brands to make a commitment and help them to consume better.
Also, 80% of those surveyed are prepared to consume better , with more organic products, to limit polluting and personal leisure activities, to pay more for a product if it comes from responsible sources and to prefer alternative modes of transport.
Finally, between 5% and 10%fare increases would be granted in return for a commitment to sustainable development.
5 levers for eco-designing packaging
REDUCE THE VOLUME OF PACKAGING
It is essential to use packaging that is adapted to the size of the products, limiting the amount of unnecessary space or excess padding. Less bulky, less overloaded packaging is also lighter and easier to transport. By adjusting your packaging, you can optimise transport and help reduce your carbon footprint.
The thickness of the backing or the weight of the cardboard can also influence the weight of your packaging.
CHOOSE RECYCLED, RECYCLABLE OR CERTIFIED MATERIALS
The certification par excellence for cardboard and paper is the FSC and PEFC labels. These guarantee that the materials used come from forests that are managed in a respectful way, ensuring that the raw materials are renewed and that they have little impact on the environment.
The use of other bio-sourced and renewable materials is also a solution for guaranteeing the balance of natural resources. Examples include bagasse made from sugar cane residues, hemp and flax, and other substrates developed from ethanol, maize or algae.
GIVE PREFERENCE TO LOCAL SUPPLIERS
Working with suppliers close to your sites considerably reduces the distances travelled by your products. Once again, this helps to reduce your carbon footprint.
If ‘made in France’ is becoming a fundamental argument for consumers, they are all the more attentive to proximity. So give preference to local players and contribute to the economic dynamism of your region.
raising consumer awareness and providing information
The graphics on your packaging (legal notices, Eco-emballage logos, infographics on selective sorting, for example) are also vital for informing consumers and raising their awareness about recycling and selective sorting of their packaging.
By indicating how the waste should be treated, you can ensure that the instructions are respected. This makes it easier to deal with waste and, in particular, to recycle it.
What’s more, mentioning your eco-design approach on your packaging is a particularly persuasive factor for consumers, so it’s in your interest to clearly indicate the ecological benefits of your packaging.