Plastic in brand packaging is at the centre of the sustainability debate right now, and none more-so than the use of plastic bottles and caps in the drinks sector.
We’ve all witnessed the ugly scenes of plastic bottles and their all too often separated plastic lids bobbing at the edge of our otherwise beautiful riversides, canals and coastlines.
And we all agree that something has to be done to end the dangerous situation of plastic pollution in our waters.
Legislating for change within the industries that use plastics is one way governments are trying to tackle the issue, but Jenny Stanley, MD at Appetite Creative, says consumers need to be educated, too, in how they dispose of their plastic purchases…
CocaCola recently announced plans to add attached caps to its plastic bottles in a bid to ramp up recyclability.
The drinks company claimed the move will reduce the potential for the caps, which are already recyclable, to end up as plastic waste as they’re “often discarded and littered”.
Plastic legislation
CocaCola plans to roll out these new plastic bottles across its entire range of brands by early 2024, which coincides with the European Parliament bringing in legislation making it mandatory for suppliers of products with plastic caps and lids to switch to attached caps and lids if they want to remain on the market from 2024.
The rules will apply to all beverage containers with capacity up to three litres.
The new Single-Use Plastic Directive which is ultimately a small design adaptation is expected to prevent 10% of plastic litter found on European beaches.
While not yet enough action for some, and dissent in Australia, CocaCola stated that “this is a small change that we hope will have a big impact, ensuring that when consumers recycle our bottles, no cap gets left behind”.
Arguably, this is the first of many government regulations on plastic packaging. The climate crisis continues, and more measures must be implemented to mitigate the damage to the planet.
Oceanic pollution
It’s estimated that every year we add 25 million tons of plastic to the ocean, and as of 2022, every square mile of our ocean contains over 45,000 individual pieces of plastic.
Scientists estimate that by 2050 there will be 937 million tons of plastic in the ocean – that’s more plastic than fish.
Across the globe, we use 1.4 billion plastic bottles every day.
In addition to adapting packaging by 2024, another challenge facing packaging producers is educating customers about the importance of this change and how to properly recycle packaging.
Creating recyclable packaging is all well and good, but it requires the end users to understand how and why they should recycle it.
According to a global survey by the World Economic Forum, SAP and Qualtrics consumers consider recycling to be either inconvenient, or they lack trust in recycling programmes.
They also think choosing products with reusable packaging is the most adoptable zero-waste measure but, ultimately, a lack of programmes and services is the top barrier to greater recycling uptake.
At Appetite Creative, we’re working with Tetra Pak, Elopak, and Greiner Packaging who are all taking sustainability seriously. They’re investing in ways to ensure packaging can ultimately become zero-waste.
Connected packaging
We’re helping them to educate and inform consumers in an engaging way via connected packaging to ensure the end user understands how and why to use and recycle the packaging.
It’s all well and good tethering caps for example, but if consumers don’t know why and separate the lids anyway, then it’s a wasted exercise.
Connected packaging, which integrates technology into product packaging design, enables enhanced user-experience and customer interaction.
According to a report by Data Bridge, the global connected packaging market is expected to grow at a rate of 7.4% until 2027, giving the market a value of $30 billion by 2027.
Other than delivering business advantages, connected packing can also be a force for good.
When it comes to sustainability, connected packaging can help educate customers and ultimately change their behaviour for the better.
QR codes found on packaging give users access to web-app experiences that include educational videos, interactive virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) and fun shareable games.
Importantly for marketers, it can help align both brands and consumers in the fight for the future of our planet.
A brand’s wider contribution to or impact on society is a growing consideration for consumers, with sustainability one of the key topics under scrutiny. We’re seeing a growing demand for sustainable technology solutions.
Brands are increasingly looking to combine environmentally friendly business practices with consumer education and engagement.
At Appetite Creative, we’ve worked on several web-app recycling education programmes. We’ve been helping marketers deliver important information in a way that is easy to digest and action, empowering them to make the right choices for themselves and the planet.
In our recent connected packaging survey, 80% respondents stated that connected packaging is an attractive way to help improve the sustainability credentials of their company, with half (49%) certain that it offers a sustainable way to connect with and educate customers.
Sustainable advertising
The move towards sustainable advertising also looks to be a dominant focus for the foreseeable future.
With an ever-growing need for brands to act responsibly when it comes to environmental policies, connected packaging and the wider technology supporting it provides a smart solution.
It offers an efficient and cost-effective way to collect data, develop products and communicate directly with customers in real time, as well as a simple way to improve sustainability credentials, and has never been so valuable and in demand.
Seamlessly combining education with interaction, the role connected packaging plays in the consumer journey means it has a genuine ability to change consumer behaviour on issues that really matter. It’s a win for brands, for consumers, and for the planet.