Page 10 - Packaging News Magazine May-June 2019

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT www.packagingnews.com.au May-June 2019
Smart, connected, sustainable...
The AUSPACK 2019 Business and Industry Conference, running parallel to the exhibition, was a valuable experience for packaging professionals looking to find out more about trends affecting the industry. PKN's Jake Nelson has some of the highlights from both days.
Craig Reucassel of The Chaser and War on Waste guided a discussion with Steve Lapidge, CEO of the Fight Food Waste Cooperative; Brooke Donnelly, CEO of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisa- tion (APCO); Paul Klymenko, CEO Planet Ark; and Caitlyn Richards, responsible sourcing manager for sustainable products and packaging at Coles, on how and why packagers should embrace sustainability.
According to Donnelly, consumer pressure on businesses, coupled with ex- ternal pressure from the global supply chain, has created a “perfect storm” of conditions that have generated momentum for sustainable packaging.
“The conversation is live and active and has great momentum. The issue is corral- ling everyone with the best of intentions to have a structured and considered approach – you need to plan for how you’ll transition, to avoid perverse outcomes.
“Our conversation is no longer about should we do it – it’s about how we do it,” she said. Richards noted that companies such as Coles need to look closely at their packag- ing to determine what’s necessary and what isn’t, and that solutions such as Plan- et Ark’s PREP tool and the Australian Recycling Label can help make this easier. “We need to make sure all our packaging
serves a purpose,” she said.
According to Klymenko, recycled
material can be used for different purposes
THE inaugural AUSPACK 2019 Business and Industry Conference took more than 300 delegates through the worlds of smart, connected, and sustainable packaging and processing with two days of expert speakers, panel discussions, and breakout sessions.
SPICE UP PACKAGING FOR DIGITAL
Dr Michael Okoroafor, vice-president for global sustainability and packaging innovation at McCormick, laid out what he saw as key insights driving the future of packaging for the FMCG industry in his keynote address.
The circular economy is one area of focus for McCormick, said Okoroafor, who told delegates at the packed keynote session that it is creating a new age for packaging.
“The era of make-use-dispose is over. We’re in the era of make-use-reuse,” he said. Packaging also needs to shift its focus if it is to be successful in e-commerce, he said, arguing that the current approach taken by packagers is wrong for online sales. “There is no packaging designed for e-commerce – we take the packaging for
brick-and-mortar, insulate it as if it’s a nuclear weapon in a corrugated box, and call it e-commerce.
“The time of first moment of truth is over. You have to design for zero moment of truth –ifitdoesn’tshowwellinthedigitalworld it’s over. If it shows well, they can buy it rightthereorgotothestoreforit,”hesaid.
Three key takeaways:
• Packaging needs to move towards a circular economy. Recyclability or reusability is a must for the future.
• E-commerce is reshaping how packaging is designed – it has to look good not just on the shelf, but on the screen.
• Packaging can become the gateway to greater product transparency, with Industry 4.0 technologies allowing consumers to scan a package with their smartphones for more information.
'PERFECT STORM' FOR SUSTAINABILTY
There are plenty of opportunities for packaging companies and brand owners trying to meet the Australian Govern- ment’s 2025 National Packaging Waste Target, according to a panel of experts.