Alexei Volkov
Plastic packaging is a highly debated topic, with consumers reporting that they want less plastic, but their shopping habits indicating otherwise. Plastic packaging is used because it is cheap, lightweight, and protects food from spoilage, reducing food waste. Plastic packaging also allows food to travel further distances and stay longer on shelves, encouraging trade and ensuring large amounts of food do not go to waste. However, plastic waste has a significantly higher environmental impact, particularly in the form of its carbon footprint, and contributes to choking oceans and seeping into the food chain. With the technology and resources available today, companies need to do a better job of cutting down on plastic and adopting more eco-friendly packaging options.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cost | Plastic packaging is often the cheapest option for brands |
| Customer preference | 87% of consumers think major online retailers should curb the amount of plastic packaging they use. 72% of global consumers are actively buying more environmentally-friendly products than they did five years ago. |
| Eco-friendliness | Plastic packaging can help reduce food waste, which has a significantly higher environmental impact than packaging waste. However, plastic packaging often isn't recycled, and less than 2% of plastic waste produced since the 1950s has been recycled. |
| Functionality | Plastic packaging is lightweight, strong, and protects vulnerable products from damage, contamination, and moisture. |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic is cheap for companies to use
The longer a food item stays fresh, the greater its chance of being eaten. Plastic packaging allows food to travel further, stay on the shelves longer, and ensures that large amounts of food do not go to waste. For example, cucumbers wrapped in plastic last eleven days longer than unwrapped cucumbers, and bananas wrapped in plastic last 21 days longer than their unwrapped counterparts. Countries that package a greater share of food items tend to generate far less food waste.
Plastic is lightweight, strong, and requires less material to ship products safely, which results in significant reductions in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste. A 2016 study by Trucost found that replacing plastic with alternatives in packaging and consumer products could raise environmental costs at least fourfold.
However, it is important to note that less than 2% of plastic waste produced since the 1950s has been recycled, and most of it has been landfilled or disposed of in the natural environment. With the technology and resources available today, companies have more eco-friendly packaging options available than ever before.
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Plastic is lightweight and strong
Plastic packaging is a highly debated topic, with consumers reporting that they want less plastic and more eco-friendly alternatives, but their shopping habits and the current system do not always reflect this.
Plastic is often the cheapest option for companies, and its lightweight and durable nature makes it ideal for transporting goods. Plastic packaging can protect vulnerable products from damage during transit, preventing contamination or damage by moisture, humidity, gases, microorganisms, insects, and light. Its lightweight nature also means that more product can be shipped with less packaging material, which results in significant reductions in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste.
A 2016 study by Trucost found that replacing plastic with alternatives in packaging and consumer products could increase environmental costs by at least four times. Similarly, another study showed that replacing plastics with alternatives in packaging would increase the amount of packaging generated in the United States by 55 million tons annually, and increase energy use and carbon footprint by 82% and 130% respectively.
The lightweight nature of plastic also allows for more efficient transportation, as products can be stacked and shipped over great distances, encouraging trade and providing consumers with access to a wider variety of non-local produce.
While plastic packaging can help extend the shelf life of products and reduce food waste, it is important to note that less than 2% of plastic waste produced since the 1950s has been recycled, with more than 90% ending up in landfills or disposed of in the natural environment. As such, there is a growing push for companies to adopt more eco-friendly packaging options and reduce their reliance on plastic.
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Plastic reduces food waste
Plastic packaging is used to preserve food and prevent waste. Plastic-wrapped cucumbers last 11 days longer than unwrapped cucumbers, bananas last 21 days longer, and beef in vacuum-sealed plastic with an oxygen barrier film lasts 26 days longer. Plastic packaging allows food to travel further distances and stay on shelves longer, reducing food waste.
Plastic is lightweight and strong, making it efficient for shipping. It requires less material than alternatives, reducing energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste. A 2016 Trucost study found that replacing plastic with alternatives in packaging and consumer products could increase environmental costs by four times.
However, plastic waste has a significantly higher environmental impact than food waste, especially in the form of its carbon footprint. Plastic is created from fossil fuels, the biggest contributor to greenhouse gases. It also ends up in oceans, seeping into the food chain.
While plastic packaging can reduce food waste, it is important to balance this benefit with the environmental impact of plastic waste. Consumers increasingly report that reducing plastic use matters to them, but their shopping habits may not reflect this. Companies also need to do a better job of cutting down on plastic use and providing eco-friendly alternatives.
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Plastic is used for product protection
Plastic packaging is used for product protection. It is lightweight and strong, protecting vulnerable products from damage during transportation and preventing contamination or damage by moisture, humidity, gases, microorganisms, insects, and light. For example, cucumbers wrapped in plastic last 11 days longer than unwrapped cucumbers, bananas wrapped in plastic last 21 days longer, and beef wrapped in vacuum packaging with an oxygen barrier film lasts 26 days longer. This results in significant reductions in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste.
Plastic packaging also helps to preserve products for longer, reducing waste by giving people more time to use or consume them before they are no longer suitable. It also prevents products from being damaged or spilled during transportation, allowing them to be stacked and transported over great distances, which encourages trade and gives consumers access to a wider variety of non-local produce.
In addition, plastic packaging can provide important information about the product, such as nutritional content or allergy advice. It can also be designed with different functional properties, such as being safe for food, flexible, transparent, opaque, and chemical and heat resistant.
While there are alternative packaging materials such as paper, glass, aluminum, and steel, studies have shown that plastics are often more efficient and cost-effective. For example, a 2016 Trucost study found that replacing plastic with alternative packaging materials could raise environmental costs by at least four times.
However, it is important to note that the push for plastic packaging is often driven by financial considerations rather than environmental or consumer concerns. Less than 2% of plastic waste produced since the 1950s has been recycled, and consumers are increasingly reporting that using less plastic and packaging matters to them. As such, companies need to do a better job of cutting down on plastic waste and providing more eco-friendly packaging options.
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Plastic is used for product preservation
Plastic packaging is widely used for product preservation. It helps protect food from spoilage, contamination, and damage during transit. Plastic-wrapped cucumbers, for instance, can last 11 days longer than unwrapped ones, while bananas wrapped in plastic have a shelf life extended by 21 days. This extended freshness reduces food waste, which has a significantly higher environmental impact than packaging waste. Food waste generates methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and accounts for 20% of all methane emissions.
Plastic packaging also enables the transportation of products over long distances, allowing consumers access to a diverse range of non-local produce and encouraging international trade. Its lightweight and durable nature means that less packaging material is required compared to alternatives, resulting in reduced energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste. A Trucost study in 2016 found that replacing plastic with other packaging options could increase environmental costs by four times.
However, the use of plastic packaging is increasingly being questioned due to its negative environmental impact. While plastic packaging can be recycled, the recycling rate is low, with less than 2% of plastic waste produced since the 1950s being recycled. Consumers are becoming more conscious of their environmental footprint, with 72% buying more environmentally friendly products, and companies are responding by exploring eco-friendly alternatives to plastic.
Despite the pushback against plastic packaging, it remains a prevalent choice due to its cost-effectiveness and functionality. The challenge lies in balancing the need for product preservation and environmental sustainability, with some countries, like Spain, France, and Canada, taking steps to reduce plastic packaging through taxes and restrictions.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic packaging helps protect food and other items from spoilage, contamination, damage, and moisture. It is also lightweight, making it efficient for transportation and display of information.
Yes, packaging items in plastic is often the cheapest option for brands. However, consumers are increasingly buying more environmentally friendly products, and companies need to catch up with these trends.
Alternatives to plastic packaging include paper, glass, aluminium, and steel. However, studies have shown that using these alternatives may increase energy use and our carbon footprint.
Spain has implemented a plastic tax, France has severely limited plastic-wrapped produce, and Canada aims to eliminate plastic packaging for produce by 95% by 2028.
Companies need to do a better job of cutting down on plastic packaging and providing eco-friendly alternatives. Consumers can also play a role by buying more environmentally friendly products and reducing their reliance on plastic.
