Most of us believe that buying food without packaging is good for the environment because we don’t produce extra waste that way. However, we often forget that food bought “in bulk” deteriorates faster and a large part of it is wasted. On the one hand, there is talk of the harmful impact of packaging on the environment, forgetting about another, very important civilization problem, which is wasting food. Can the packaging help in this matter?
The average European wastes 92 kg of food each year. This is usually more than it weighs. Food waste is a huge problem, especially when you think about countries where people are starving. 1/3 of the food produced is lost along the entire supply chain. In the European Union alone, around 88 million tonnes of food are wasted each year. The reasons for wasting food vary and affect every element of the supply chain, but research shows that the most food is thrown away by final consumers. This may be due to the lack of appropriate packaging solutions. Plastic packaging plays an essential role in the processing, storage, transport and protection and maintenance of products. Experts believe that the right packaging solutions can help reduce food waste.
1. Extended consumption date
Thanks to plastic packaging, food stays fresh longer and looks nice. Additionally, with the development of active packaging extending the shelf life by consecutive days, less food is wasted.
2. Protection against damage
The packaging ensures the safety of products against mechanical damage during transport and on the shelf in the store. This feature of packaging solutions also minimizes food waste.
3. Hygienic solution
People touch and press the vegetables and fruits “relaxed”, then put aside and take the prettier ones. The products spoil quickly, nobody buys them because they are no longer attractive. As a result, they are thrown into the trash. This problem is almost absent among packaged products.
4. The packaging determines the portions
When shopping, many people pack more products into their carts than they actually need. Packaged products define certain portions of the products and thus help us choose the right amount of food. Smaller portions help reduce food waste.
5. Functionality of solutions
Plastic packaging owes its success to functionality. They provide consumers with the highest quality, are very durable and at the same time light, flexible and safe. Plastic packaging is not only practical, but also provides the necessary protection for products.
SUMMARY
Plastic packaging owes its success to functionality. They provide consumers with the highest quality, are very durable and at the same time light, flexible and safe. Plastic packaging is not only practical, but also provides the necessary protection for products. Packaging will not completely solve the problem of food waste, but it can help. Producers have to think about how to optimize solutions so that they contribute even more to reducing food waste. There is a lot of talk about getting rid of packaging, but because of its function, packaging often helps to reduce food waste. The environmental benefits are often higher than the negative impact of packaging on nature. That is why our goal as a packaging manufacturer is to provide sustainable solutions. The optimized packaging provides the required protection for the product, uses as little material as possible and is recyclable or reusable as much as possible.
