Speaker 8

Mr Paul Butler

Packaging Tecnology Consultant

Packaging Materials &Technologies Ltd

packaginginnovation@yahoo.co.uk

Scale of the challenge - Facts• Over 6 million tonnes/yr

consumer food waste – about 50% was edible

• Corresponds to about one-third of all food we buy

• £250 - £400/yr each person potentially edible food

• 19% of household waste

Scale of the challenge - Attitudes• Not seen as a problem by many consumers

– ‘I don’t waste much’– ‘Packaging is a much worse problem’– ‘Food is biodegradable – it’s OK to landfill’

Scale of the challenge - Trends

• 19 minutes/meal• Deskilled or demotivated?• Drop in average household size• More unplanned shopping• Shifts in buying in grocery

retail, e.g. frozen to chill

How can packaging help?• Pack Format:

– to prevent food drying out via easy close features

– to help consumers portion food better• Smart Labelling:

– to communicate accurate ‘use-by’ information or indicate ripeness

• Pack microclimate:– to prolong shelf-life of fresh produce

Format - Reclose features

Format - Portioning

Smart labelling

• ‘Use-by’ dates not accurate - so good food could be thrown away unnecessarily

• Fruit ripeness a significant source of food waste in home

Smart labelling – TTI’s/RipenessFreshness \ Use-by

Pack microclimate

Pack microclimateAtmospheric

control

• Oxygen• Moisture• Ethylene