What are some sustainable retail packaging practices that you can implement with your team?

Reduced Packaging Materials Biodegradable and Compostable Materials Recyclable Packaging Water-Based Inks and Adhesives Eco-Friendly Labels Remember to involve your team in the decision-making process and educate them about the importance of sustainable practices. Continuous improvement and innovation will contribute to a more sustainable retail packaging approach over time.

Biodegradable Materials: Choose biodegradable and compostable packaging materials to reduce environmental impact and encourage responsible disposal. Minimalistic Design: Adopt minimalist packaging designs that use less material, promoting sustainability and reducing overall waste. Reusable and Recyclable Options: Introduce packaging that is reusable or easily recyclable, encouraging customers to participate in eco-friendly practices and supporting a circular economy.

In my humble opinion, the first paragraph should actually be "Think Differently and Authentically". Reuse, upcycling, recycling and biodegradability all have their place in this discussion. Packaging protects and often conveys brand messaging, is often opened and then destroyed. Ask yourself why from the company perspective and then ask yourself why from the consumers perspective, and then ask yourself why from the perspective of non-consumers as well. After this raw material choices and package designs may become a story to tell with a product that sells. Sometimes packaging stories and material choices are less obvious. Aluminum for one is the most plentiful metal on earth, and it can be upcycled many ways and recycled indefinitely.

I disagree. Challenge the obvious. Captain Obvious would say "Reduce the size and quantity of packaging." Captain Obvious is often wrong, and this broad statement certainly is. Reuse and upcycling of packaging is generally ignored because it doesn't fit the narrative. If your package is too small, it goes into the garbage or MAYBE recycled. Bigger packages often get put aside to repackage or store other things. Reuse is much better than recycling. Quality made packaging utilizing other materials can encourage a story of reuse or even upcycling (like Ball jars for drinking glasses) and actual recycling (glass and aluminum can be recycled infinitely versus any plastic or paper). Sometimes bigger can be better.

How about thinking differently and collaborating with your customers as well? Talk with them and not to them. Packaging challenges because you want to do the right thing with them, and not just for the warm and fuzzy selling points you sell to them. Some companies already do this with a collaborative story. Together we can make a bigger impact. Their opinion could drive reuse or upcycling which is better than recycling and waste regardless of material choice. Sustainable material choices often have compromises, ask them what compromise they may be willing to make. You might be surprised.

Besides Collaborating with suppliers etc., developing your staff to a point where ownership and responsibility is ingrained, is probably your biggest asset in cutting down on wastage.