Tony Foster, Packaging Europe opinion piece

Tony Foster, Sales and Marketing Director of the UK packaging division of DS Smith, shared his views on the perception of the industry with Packaging Europe. The article was published online in October 2014.

There is no doubt that many people still have a negative perception of the packaging industry, believing that there is still too much unnecessary material being used, much of which ends up going to landfill.

We all know that this is a misconception. The industry has undergone a quiet revolution in recent years and it is now one of the most innovative manufacturing sectors in the country.  For example, at a time when food security is a major concern, modern packaging and distribution methods in the UK have brought food wastage in the supply chain to very low levels – 3% compared to more than 40% in some economies such as Russia.

Packaging weights of plastic bottles, metal cans, cartons and boxes have all steadily fallen whilst the product protection they offer has improved.

Of course there is always more to do, but overall we have drastically improved recycling rates and reduced packaging bulk. Consumers however will continue to be influenced by the some examples they may see in supermarkets, by stray plastic carrier bags and by litter in the streets – these are the things that will stay in their minds rather than the countless examples of good packaging that they now take for granted.

So what can we, as an industry, do to address this?

Firstly, I think we all collectively have to shout louder and be prouder about what we do. We are cutting unnecessary waste, materials and cost from packaging all the time and while we can never be complacent, the industry as a whole should be rightly proud of its progress.  Our industry body for corrugated packaging, the CPI, tirelessly campaigns to correct misconceptions of the industry amongst politicians, businesses, retailers and other stakeholders.

Secondly, we need to continue our education efforts – simply to get our message out to the wider world.  For example, Incpen (Industry Council for Research on Packaging and the Environment) is doing some great work in this area.  It’s latest campaign “The good, the bad and the spudly” is an excellent example. Creative, imaginative and fun, it puts the message across really clearly that when it comes to fresh food, packaging actually extends product life and so causes a reduction in waste and disposal. I’m sure that many consumers simply won’t have thought about it in this way before.

We all need to play our part in helping to publicise such campaigns and we must continue to chip away at public and business perceptions, educating where we can.

We also need to raise awareness of the standards and targets that we are all working to.  How many people out there know what the Courtauld Commitment is for example? It is not easy in a world of constant news, but the more we can remind the world of what we are committed to, the better.

And how many know that we collect and recycle over 80% of all the corrugated cardboard boxes we make?

Finally, I believe we also need to do more to underline the importance of the packaging industry as a major employer and as a British success story. UK packaging manufacturers employ 85,000 people in the UK and have sales in excess of £11 billion.  We provide a livelihood for thousands of families and our contribution to the overall economy is significant.  

Furthermore, we often hear politicians extolling the virtues of British brands and promoting the ‘Buy British’ message. Success will be when packaging becomes a part of that message, when a high profile politician says: “Look at M&S – a great British retailer that also uses British packaging that minimises waste and has a high recycling content!”

May never happen? We are never going to be central to the story but we need to keep pushing so that our contribution is recognised and appreciated.

We have come a long way as an industry, and have further still to go. We all need to ensure that we bring as many people with us on the journey as we can.