Tag: sustainability

Helping businesses to reduce waste and carbon emissions

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“As terrifying as it is, climate change is setting us on a path of self-destruction.”

Ribble Packaging were delighted to have been able to take part in Insider’s Green Revolution. Discussing and highlighting the importance of sustainability within businesses in the North West and how we can play our part in meeting the challenges of the current climate crisis.

The article discussed how the record growth of ecommerce over the past year has put a huge strain on companies to meet demand, which has meant that we have seen shortages from raw materials to lorry drivers.

Our Managing Director, Stephen Rector, explained; “Boxes are often too large for their products and so they are filled with non-sustainable ‘void-fill’ materials like plastic or polystyrene. It is clearly a hugely wasteful and inefficient method of getting the product out.”

Ribble customers usually see a 30% saving on corrugated costs and recovery of warehouse space with the elimination of obsolete packaging storage.

Stephen went on to discuss the ways in which Right Size packaging solutions can; “Streamline the entire process and mitigates or ideally eliminates void-fill and wastage by making the packaging perfectly sized to fit the product”.

Right Size packaging automation has allowed business over the past year to not have to rely so heavily on manual labour in a time when the pandemic put a serious strain on the labour reliant aspect of supply chains. The introduction of automation has not only encouraged waste reduction, but it’s also allowed businesses to operate in a more efficient, controllable and reliable way.

If you would like more information on how Ribble Packaging could help your business become more environmentally friendly, please contact us today.

The Lifecycle of a Cardboard Box: Corrugated Packaging & The Circular Economy

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The environmental impact of materials and products has become a growing talking point across many industries because of the huge amounts of waste going to landfill. It’s time to make a change and we’re here to share with you the many benefits of adopting a circular economy.

A lot more goes into the lifecycle of a cardboard box to make it eco-friendly, than you might think and the process of being environmentally friendly starts early on. In fact, 80% of a product’s environmental impact is locked in at the design stage!

What is the circular economy?

Traditionally, the economy used to operate a linear model, where we would make a product, use it and then dispose of it. The difference with a circular economy is that resources are kept in use for as long as possible by extracting the most value from them at every stage when in use and at the end of their life by recovering and regenerating products and materials.

Moving from a “make, use, dispose of” to a “make/remake, use/reuse” process.

How does the lifecycle of corrugated cardboard relate to a circular economy?

The circular economy is just the way of life for the corrugated packaging industry. After all, it is one of the most recycled paper products. as its 100% recyclable and biodegradable. At Ribble Packaging, all our corrugated papers are FSC Certified meaning that all the papers used can be traced as far back to the specific tree that they came from. Here’s a summary of what happens at each stage…

The Circular Economy Model

Stage 1: Design & Manufacture (using raw materials to create a product)

When designing a product, the designer must consider how a product will be collected and recycled after use, how to select materials and processes that reduce any impact on the environment and lastly, how they can extend the life of the product.

Stage 2: Retailer (selling a product to consumer)

In the circular economy, there’s an opportunity for retailers to improve customer experience and connect with new customers on a deeper level by establishing shared values concerning the environment. Consumers are demanding these days with online retailers playing a particularly big role in the delivery of a circular economy.

The retailer should consider how they can increase the lifetime of products and how they can make it easier for consumers to recycle, resell and donate. As well as reducing packaging waste when sending products in the wrong size boxes with excessive void fillers.

Stage 3: Consumer

Whilst consumers are wanting a more sustainable world, they are reluctant to overpay for this. Therefore, it’s important to consider the consumer when pricing. Prices need to be fair and reflect quality.

Stage 4: Re-use/Repair/Repurpose product if possible

Re-use and recycling are not the same. Re-use of products and materials is more beneficial

as it retains a product’s value by keeping it in use for longer. Thus, minimising waste, creating jobs, and reducing consumption and the carbon impact it has.

To reduce the amount of product we send to landfills we need to increase the rate of re-use for products and their components. The supply chain and consumers both play an important role in this stage of the circular economy model.

Consider an incentivised return for returned products that can be refurbished and resold. As well as maximising the product lifetime to reduce repeated purchases.

Stage 5: Recycle into raw material to begin at stage 1 again.

This involves the collection, sorting and processing of disposed materials for use in other manufacturing processes. Depending on the complexity of the product being recycled, the process will vary, and care needs to be taken to maintain the integrity of materials each time they are recycled.

To conclude, the circular economy essentially feeds material back into the process ready for something new to be created using the recycled materials. In relation to corrugated boxes, a new box is created by feeding the used paper back into the cycle.

Eventually, the UK will run out of natural resources if we don’t move to a circular economy. It sounds sensationalist but the evidence is stacking up and the impact of our linear economy is becoming increasingly apparent across many industries.

If you’d like to speak to us about how Ribble is helping companies like yours to reduce their environmental impact by reducing packaging waste, give us a call on 0161 284 9000 or email info@ribble-pack.co.uk

Reduce Waste and Carbon Emissions With Right Size Solutions

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Right Size: Helping businesses reduce waste and carbon emissions

Online retail sales have been soaring at an all-time high during the COVID-19 pandemic with the IMRG Capgemini Online Retail Index recording a growth of 36% in 2020. As a result, demand for recyclable and sustainable packaging solutions, such as corrugated board, has increased dramatically.

Stephen Rector, Managing Director of Ribble Packaging, explains, “In itself, corrugated board for boxes is a very sustainable and recyclable product. The recycling rates for paper and board in the UK are extremely high in comparison to other packaging products and they are increasing.”

However, the correct and responsible use of packaging solutions is necessary in order to be fully sustainable. Stephen explains “Boxes are often too large for their products and so they are filled with non-sustainable ‘void-fill’ materials like plastic, bubble wrap or polystyrene.  It is clearly a hugely wasteful and inefficient method of getting the product out.”

Reducing wastage with Right Size.

Ribble Packaging, a packaging solutions provider based in Oldham, manufacture corrugated board from recycled paper. Rector says, “In total, 100% of our corrugated board is 100% recyclable, while the paper we buy to manufacture our board is 100% recycled. So, our raw material is 100% recycled and our product is 100% recyclable.”

This product is flexible, cost-effective and can be converted into Fanfold packaging which is a long piece of corrugated board scored at regular intervals and folded neatly and compactly. Fanfold can then be used to pack single or multiple products by feeding it into fully automated packaging machines to create an exact size box and therefore, eliminate waste.

Ribble Packaging are the European market leader for the manufacture and supply of corrugated Fanfold, in addition to pioneering Right Size packaging solutions in the UK. “Right size packaging streamlines the entire process and mitigates or ideally eliminates void-fill and wastage by making the packaging perfectly sized to fit the product” Rector explains.

When using the correct size packaging, carbon emissions can also be reduced, as more products can be loaded onto vehicles ready for dispatch and thus increase vehicle utilisation by around 25%. According to The Road Transport Industry report in 2019, “78% of goods are moved by road”, and transportation costs can be a huge part of a company’s overall logistics spending. If it’s possible to reduce this through Right Size packaging, its arguably one of the most beneficial solutions a company can implement due to the ever-rising fuel costs and the impact this can then have on the price of goods to the end-user.

How can automation help?

Unsurprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many retailers to rethink their entire business model and consider adopting an automated process for packaging. The Coronavirus pandemic will be a defining moment in history for years to come for many reasons, but if you are an online retailer you’re likely to have witnessed a considerable peak in sales during the lockdown. With more and more consumers left with no outlet for escape, it is no wonder those who had never shopped online before chose to switch to e-commerce. This was of course great news for online retailers who unlike other businesses could thrive in sales, but in reality, many e-fulfilment centres struggled to cope with demand.

Those already with fully automated systems in place were in a beneficial position as they could safely limit the number of staff in the warehouse and abide by social distancing during this unprecedented time. Over the past year many retailers have followed suit as they realised the benefits and resilience automation allows during unprecedented times.

Rector explains, “The majority of retailers rely on manual labour, especially for packing processes, but the pandemic has really brought home the benefits of automation. In the face of COVID-related staff absences and social distancing requirements, one of these fully automated machines operated by just two people can pack up to 1,000 units an hour and do the job of 10 efficient packers.”

Not only does automated packaging provide a sustainable option and encourage waste reduction, but packaging automation also provides reassurance for consumers. During a world-wide health crisis, consumers have understandably grown more concerned about where they source their products and having knowledge that their product and its packaging has been handled by as few people as possible is a new selling point for retailers.

“As one of the pioneers of right size packaging in the UK, we are not prepared to sit on our laurels,” says Rector. “We have earmarked £3.5million over the next two years to significantly increase capacity of fanfold manufacture and protect our hard-won position as the UK’s fanfold market leader. The business-to-consumer market is growing exponentially and our continuing investment is designed to maintain our market position in this rapidly growing sector.”

The packaging process that is over 99% plastic free

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Internet Fusion Group, a leading lifestyle e-commerce retailer with brands such as Surfdome and Country Attire, have created a sustainable packaging process that is over 99% plastic free. Investments in two Quadient CVP-500 automated packaging machines and switching to Corrugated Fanfold material from Ribble Packaging, have aided with their pursuit of an environmentally sustainable right size packaging process.

To highlight the full extent of their achievements, Internet Fusion have released a report investigating the environmental effects of paper-based packaging versus plastic packaging products. The report explores the full manufacturing process of both paper and plastic packaging, through to the recyclability and long-term environmental effects once a package has reached its destination. Head of Sustainability at Internet Fusion Adam Hall said” Our customers are tired of plastic pollution, and we are tired of the justifications being put forward for continued plastic production in the middle of a marine plastic crisis. When you dig a little deeper these arguments simply don’t stack up, so we felt it was time to share the decision-making process that has led us to our packaging being over 99% plastic free. Our customers choose us because of our environmental efforts and in turn we choose Ribble for the same reasons – it’s partnerships such as these that can shift a whole industry towards a more sustainable future”.

Right Size packaging specialists Ribble Packaging supply Internet Fusion with over 75% of their packaging material in the form of Corrugated Fanfold board, a versatile fully recycled and recyclable cardboard product that feeds many of the leading automated packaging systems in the UK.

Stephen Rector, Managing Director of Ribble Packaging, commented on Internet Fusion’s success: “It is fantastic to see that Ribble products are helping our customers in creating more environmentally sustainable packaging processes. We also see the need to improve our in-house operations to make them more sustainable.”

Earlier this year, Ribble embarked on a project to make their operations carbon neutral. “We understand the need to focus on the effects our manufacturing process has on the environment, this has led to us embarking on a carbon neutral project that will see us embrace new sustainable technologies and practices. Our products allow customers to create a more sustainable packaging process, but we can enhance these benefits by offering a carbon neutral manufacturing process as well.”

Sustainability Made Simple With Packaging Automation

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With a growing need for companies to accelerate their sustainability and social responsibility, it’s come as no surprise that 2020 has seen more and more businesses continuing to phase out the use of plastic packaging and introduce packaging automation. Just recently, Lego have stated that they are aiming for all packaging to be sustainable by 2025. Neils B Christiansen, CEO at Lego Group says,

 “It’s critical to take urgent action now to care for the planet and future generations.”

Caring for the future is a mission that every business globally needs to adopt, not only because it’s important to value the planet, but you must ensure you don’t lose sight of your consumers values and the fundamental changes they come up against as a result of climate change.

Whilst the global coronavirus pandemic has taken hold, many retailers and other industries have recognised the need for automation across many departments, as would be expected due to the shortfall of workers and the urgent need for hygienic, sanitary processes to be in place.

But how can packaging automation help create a more sustainable process?

In terms of packaging, automating the process not only vastly improves the efficiency of your business by reducing the strain of your workforce and improving the quality of your packaging, right size packaging solutions will also decrease any waste. Not only this, your efficiency levels will be optimised as automated packaging means less reliance on workforce, as machines do not need a ‘break’.

Reducing packaging waste also means that if you do use plastic packaging for your items, this usage is kept to an absolute minimum. At Ribble, we preserve environmental resources by using 100% recycled and recyclable Fanfold for our automated packaging solutions.

Adopting a right size packaging solution to your business, does exactly what it says – you have the right size box to fit the product meaning no excess waste, leading to improved sustainability. It will size, construct, weigh and label each custom order to create the perfect package and eliminate the need for any fill material – saving you money on labour and reducing box volume for delivery.

Businesses who have incorporated our right-size packaging solution have saved 30% in packaging costs!

By having smaller packages for your products, you will also utilise available courier vehicle space better, which will in turn reduce the number of vehicles on the road, reducing your CO2 emissions and collectively making you a more sustainable business.

In celebration of Recycling Week 2020, we’re inviting you to a virtual demonstration of how right size solutions can make your packaging more sustainable. In just 15 minutes, you’ll learn how your business can go green. To register please visit https://ribble-pack.co.uk/campaigns/go-green-in-15.

Sustainable Packaging: The Must-Have Of 2020

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Thanks to shows such as David Attenborough’s Blue Planet and activists like Greta Thunberg, the British public has become acutely aware of the damage plastic packaging is doing to our planet.

It’s no surprise, then, that according to a 2018 European Consumer Packaging Perception Survey, 90% of UK shoppers want easily recyclable packaging. 88% also want to know where their packaging comes from.

Unfortunately, plastic packaging isn’t easy to recycle. Businesses produce 80 million tonnes of plastic packaging every year; only 30% is recycled. The type of plastic is critical here.  For example, dark coloured plastic is harder to recycle. Recycling plants also reject food packaging that contains too much food waste. In response to public concern over plastic, last year the UK government set a goal of eliminating plastic waste by 2042. To reach this, much more plastic must be recycled.

With countries such as China turning away plastic for recycling, however, these targets may be hard to meet.  As a result, we need other solutions to meet environmental objectives and consumer demand, which is why it is so vital for businesses to look at sustainable packaging.

What is sustainable packaging?

Sustainable packaging is packaging that has a reduced environmental impact. Generally, materials are recycled, biodegradable or reusable.  Examples include paper and cardboard as well as reusable plastic, or plastic that is biodegradable or made from plant products. In addition, companies can make packaging more sustainable by:

  • reducing the number of materials used
  • increasing fill-rates
  • using monomaterials (rather than laminates).  

Using sustainable packaging in a business

It’s no longer enough for a business to pay lip-service to environmental issues.  Nor is it to make promises they will make changes in the future. They need to act now, reflecting the values of today’s consumers and government legislation.

One of the main barriers to companies using sustainable packaging in the past has been price. There’s a belief that sustainability is expensive. However, this isn’t always the case. Changes to packaging design and engineering mean implementing sustainable packaging solutions is both possible and affordable. 

Remember, just because the packaging says it’s environmentally-friendly, doesn’t mean it is. So, as well as price, when looking to make the change to sustainable packaging, businesses should consider:

  • Ingredients: Does the packaging use 100% recycled materials, for example, or come from sustainable sources?
  • Production: What production methods are used? What is its carbon footprint, and what steps are in the supply chain? For example, there is much talk at the moment of bio-based plastics (also known as bio-plastics). Made from food crops such as corn and sugar cane, they seem like a good option and a great way to reduce the use of traditional plastic. However, some reports are now suggesting that their impact on the human food chain could be significant, leading to price increases or food shortages.
  • Recyclability: Can the packaging be recycled easily? Do local authorities accept it. Or, will customers have to source a specialist recycling centre (as they do not for products such as toothpaste tubes)?
  • Reusability: How many times can packaging be reused? This links into the circular economy, which is growing in popularity.

Where a business isn’t sure if the packaging is sustainable, they must ask questions and do their research, looking to organisations such as the Sustainable Packaging Coalition or Forest Stewardship Council for guidance if needed.

What is the circular economy?

One of the major areas of discussion when it comes to sustainable packaging is the circular economy, a term that describes returning packaging for reuse for its original purpose. Examples of this might be refillable packaging, which has been trialled by companies such as Unilever, and means the packaging is used multiple times. Another example is seen in the rise of zero waste or zero packaging stores, which ask customers to bring their own containers.

This isn’t a new idea (milk was once delivered by a milkman, for example, and bottles returned). Instead, it is one coming back into favour. It has been successful with beauty products, personal care, and dried food goods. As the idea gains traction, businesses should think about how to use the circular economy for secondary packaging. This is packaging used to pack and move goods before they hit the shelves.

Packaging design

As big-name brands become more focused on sustainable packaging, consumers are seeing lots of different designs enter the market. Some of these are incredibly creative. H&M, for example, has created a bag that converts into a clothes hanger, making the bag reusable and removing the need for a plastic hanger. Plus, the bag contains 80% recycled materials, somethings shoppers want to see.

In creating a convertible bag, H&M are appealing to their target shopper, younger people aged 18 to 35. The 2018 European Consumer Packaging Perception Survey found over 50% of shoppers in this age group considered packaging when making a buying decision. With their bag, H&M is hoping to build brand loyalty as well as reduce their impact on the environment.

When a business is considering what type of sustainable packaging they want to use, they should think about their audience as well as the product being packaged. For example, Biotka produces soy candles. Their customers are looking for natural products that don’t harm the environment. Biotka has reflected this by making their packaging from recycled material and using a minimalist design.

And, as with H&M, businesses should think creatively, giving their customers something more than the product they’re buying. For example, Monday’s Child sells children’s clothing. Customers can reuse their clothing boxes as they convert into dolls houses. UAU is another company who use their packaging creatively. UAU produce 3D art. Their delivery boxes are designed to be used as display stands.

Making a move to sustainable packaging

When a business moves to sustainable packaging, it can be tempting to do so all at once. This isn’t always the answer, however, as it can be disruptive. Businesses must remember to:

  • Make the change gradually, especially if a business has a lot of different products. 

Start with a single line, make the changes and look at how well these work. Then move onto the next line.

  • Use all existing packaging first.

It’s been paid for and to not use it costs money.

It’s much better to do both at once rather than one at a time, which can be more costly and time-consuming.

  • Do research, ask questions, and order samples. 

This way, a business will know what they are buying and how likely it is to work for their product line. Business could also do a test run of packaging too, sending it out to some customers and asking for feedback before making a final decision.

  • Look at how the new packaging impacts the bottom line. 

This may lead to increased costs, which could be passed on to the consumer. A business must understand if their customers will be willing to pay for any increase.

  • Let customers know how sustainable their packaging is. 

Consumers are a key driver for businesses to use sustainable packaging, so don’t be afraid to let them know what’s been done. At the same time, customers may become more aware of a product’s environmental credentials if it comes in sustainable packaging. It is worth, therefore, looking at the products themselves and see how green they are and whether they can be made any more eco-friendly.

Finally, speak to experts in packaging design and development. They can help businesses understand what types of sustainable packaging will work for them. They can develop prototypes and samples and act as a sounding board for a company’s more creative ideas.

The future of packaging

With the shift in consumer focus to more environmentally friendly products and the move by governments around the world to reduce the amount of single-use plastic that ends up as waste, companies can’t afford to not invest in sustainable packaging.

With innovations in packaging design and engineering, this is now more affordable than ever. Which means businesses don’t have any excuse for not making the change. That said, they need to make that change carefully. They need to understand their audience and what they want to see in packaging. And they need to understand the best solutions out there for their business and the products they want to package and ship.

Thinking outside the box could be essential here, which means talking to industry experts to make sure the sustainable packaging a business buys meets their needs. This will also allow them to understand new development in packaging, meaning they can stay ahead of their competition when it comes to sustainability. This, in turn, can lead to increased loyalty from existing customers. In addition, it opens up a potential new customer base of consumers who want to reduce their environmental impact act much as possible.

Why You Need Custom Packaging for Your ecommerce Business

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Over 75% of people in the UK bought goods or services online last year. This is a staggering figure considering the internet has only just turned twenty, but one that goes a long way to explaining how – in just two decades – we’ve become the world’s third largest ecommerce sector.

This means, however, that if you own an ecommerce business, you are working in a very crowded and increasingly competitive market, one that is constantly changing and requires you to change with it if you want to succeed.

So, whereas once upon a time, your customers were probably more than happy to receive their purchases in a plain brown box and surrounded by brown packaging paper, now they want something more.  Something, many of your competitors are probably already offering – custom packaging that turns ordering online from a simple transaction into an experience.

Packaging goes a long way to telling a customer who your company is and what you stand for.  It can show them you care about them, value their business and want them to buy from you again.   Or, it can show them you aren’t that bothered, that they are nothing more than a sale in a long line of sales and you wouldn’t miss them if they go.  Which is why custom packaging is so important and, if you don’t use it already, why you need to make it part of your plans for 2020.

How to make custom packaging work for your eCommerce business

If you want to make custom packaging work for your online business, you need to think about:

  1. Branding: While a plain brown box works just as well as one with a logo from a practical standpoint, it doesn’t help you get your name out there or stand out in a crowd.  Branding your boxes mean that not only does your customer know about you, everyone who comes into contact with your box sees your name and may well remember next time they go online.
  2. Messaging: Every company has a USP, something that sets them apart from their competitors.  The trick is getting this message across. With custom packaging, you can do this. Food companies, for example, might want people to know their food is always fresh, even if it’s being shipped, or that it’s locally sourced.
  3. Image: In competitive markets, the more you can do to stand out in the crowd, the better, especially if you are starting out or aren’t the biggest player in the field.  Your custom packaging can help you do just that. It presents a professional image, one that says you are serious about what you do and won’t let your customers down.
  4. Sustainability: Today’s consumer wants to buy from companies committed to reducing their environmental footprint.  Creating custom packaging from recycled/recyclable materials and limiting (or eliminating) the use of plastics tells them what happens to the planet matters to you as much as it does to them and is likely to lead to repeat business.   
  5. Sharing: Social media has become increasingly important to ecommerce businesses over the last few years, with people sharing what they like (and don’t) about products online.  If the people sharing have large enough followings, it can create a real boost for your business. And they are more likely to share if what arrives on their doorstep has custom packaging – though you need to make sure that packaging looks good on camera!

Protecting what’s on the inside

At the end of the day, what you put in your packaging will always matter more to the customer than the packaging, we know that.  Which is why it’s important to get your packaging right because customisation isn’t just about what’s on the outside, it’s about what’s on the inside, and that needs to arrive with your customer in perfect condition.  

Think about what you’re shipping and how your packaging can be used to protect its contents.  This will probably mean moving away from traditional packaging – standard sized boxes with lots of excess packaging materials to something that fits your products perfectly, keeping them safe until they reach their destination.  

If you aren’t sure how this might work, talk to packaging companies such as Ribble, who can talk you through the process and your options, or explore packaging solutions such as Right Size, which allow you to produce perfectly sized packaging for everything you need to ship.

Which Retail Brands Are Taking Sustainability Seriously?

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Over the last few years,  consumers are increasingly looking for sustainable retail brands.

In 2017, for example, research site Statistica.com found 55% of people in the UK felt the sustainability of clothing was important while – in the same year – a survey by Unilever found 33% of consumers were choosing brands they believed were socially or environmentally conscious.

These results reflected Unilever’s own performance data, which found their most successful brands were those integrating sustainability into their purpose and products, accounting for almost half the company’s global growth in 2015.  Given these figures, it’s probably no surprise that Unilever believes sustainability isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’, but an ‘imperative’.

Five Retail Brands Taking Sustainability Seriously

Unilever aren’t the only company who believe in the importance of sustainability.

In the UK, well-known retailers are becoming well known for their commitment to producing and selling sustainable products, including:

  • IKEA

IKEA ensures everything it does has sustainability at its heart, operationally, in its supply chain (50% of the wood it uses comes from sustainable forests and 100% of its cotton from farmers working to Better Cotton Standards) and its use of natural resources (it will be a net energy exporter by 2020 thanks to the 700,000+ solar panels it has powering its stores).

By 2030, IKEA wants to be ‘planet positive’ and are looking at environmentally friendly initiatives such as selling solar panels in their stores, renting furniture or buying it back when it’s no longer wanted, and selling food made from insects.

  • Body Shop

The Body Shop has long been known for doing good (it provided the start-up capital for The Big Issue, for example, and its products have never been tested on animals) but it stepped up this commitment in 2016 with its Enrich Not Exploit pledge to protect the planet and its people. This is a plan to create a positive work environment for its employees, support the development of thriving communities wherever it sources products and to develop these products in such a way as to have no negative environmental impact by 2020.

  • H&M

The fashion industry has long struggled with how to make itself sustainable in a world where a large percentage of customers want to wear clothes that are fashionable but also affordable.  In recent years, there’s been a growth in high-end sustainable brands, but the high street has been slow to catch up. One of the first to look at how they can become more sustainable was H&M, which started a clothing collection scheme in 2013 and now produces ethical collections, including ones made from recycled materials including fishing nets and previously used nylon.

  • Sainsbury’s

As a leading UK supermarket chain, Sainsbury’s has focused on sustainability at home, with their commitment to paying staff a fair wage, and abroad, supporting clean water campaigns and sourcing products ethically across its supply chain.  Their commitment is outlined in a set of values that include living healthier lives, sourcing with integrity, respecting the environment, positively impacting the community and creating a great place to work.  Last year, they signed the UK Plastics Pact to help tackle plastic waste: by 2025, 100% of their plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable.

  • Marks and Spencer

One of the oldest retailers on the high street, Marks and Spencer was also one of the first to put their commitment to sustainability in writing with Plan A in 2007.  Plan A sought to address issues of social inequality, the need for healthier lifestyles and the increasing pressures on natural resources.  As a result, by 2012, all Marks and Spencer sites and their delivery fleet were carbon neutral. Last year, Marks and Spencer released their latest Plan A which includes a commitment to be a zero-waste company by 2025 and that at least 80% of the raw materials they use will be from sustainable sources.

The Future of Sustainability

Across the UK, companies from all sectors are being recognised for their commitment to protecting the environment and supporting fair working practices, for their employees and across their supply chains.

As more consumers become interested in where the products they buy come from and what companies are doing to protect their staff, this list is likely to grow because, as Unilever pointed out, no business that wants to succeed can afford to not make itself more sustainable in today’s highly competitive market.

What Is The Best Solution For Plastic Free Packaging? 

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In recent years there has been an increased awareness of the impact our daily lives have on the environment. Reducing plastic has been a key focal point for many individuals and companies, with a vast number of businesses pledging to reduce their plastic use over the next few years.

Packaging accounts for more than 40 per cent of all plastic usage, and it is time that manufacturers and retail businesses made changes to become more environmentally friendly.

Plastic-free packaging often seems like a real challenge to achieve. However, there are plenty of plastic-free solutions available.

Why switch to plastic-free packaging?

Many people know that plastic isn’t sustainable or good for the environment, but most individuals are not aware of just how much plastic ends up harming the world we live in. Plastic is a convenient packaging material because it is cheap, durable and flexible, and it is so popular that it’s estimated we have used 8.3 million metric tonnes of it since the 1950s.

On top of this, 79% of the plastic produced in the last 70 years has been thrown into landfill or the general environment, with just 9% being recycled and the rest incinerated. Some of this plastic is toxic and can be extremely dangerous to animals in the oceans and across the globe.

Making the switch to plastic-free packaging can be a step in the right direction in reducing this shocking amount of plastic waste in our environment. As a business, it is your responsibility to ensure you are helping your customers to reduce their carbon footprint and operate sustainably through plastic-free packaging. You might be thinking your products need plastic in order to be appropriately packaged, but there are plenty of solutions out there for plastic-free packaging.

What is the best solution for plastic-free packaging?

There is a growing demand for reduction in plastic, and many businesses are struggling to keep up with the demand for plastic-free packaging. Most packaging uses some form of plastic, so what is a reliable and practical plastic-free packaging solution?

It might come as a surprise, but corrugated board could be the answer to all your plastic-free packaging requirements. Corrugated board offers a lot of the same benefits and features as plastic when it comes to packaging, without having a detrimental effect on the environment.

Ditching Plastic download

The benefits of corrugated board

Corrugated board is stable and secure for keeping products safe and free from damage, while also being easy to ship, carry and transport. It is available in many different shapes, sizes and thicknesses making it just as versatile as plastic for packaging solutions.

While plastic does have the added benefit of being shaped and moulded to suit any product perfectly, corrugated board when used properly can be just as customisable and versatile. Bespoke containers can be created from corrugated board as it can be made to suit any product size or shape.

Plastic is often used because it is durable and versatile enough to suit a vast range of products. Corrugated board can be subject to a range of different treatments and coatings to help bolster the strength and versatility of plastic-free packaging. A waterproof material can be used to coat corrugated board, and it can also be made flame resistant, making it an ideal plastic-free packaging choice for a range of industries.

Cardboard also offers a lot of choice by way of design as it can be easily printed on using digital or screen printing methods. Plastic packaging also provides a range of customisable design options, but as corrugated board can be printed on directly, it is cheaper, quicker and more convenient to use.

Is corrugated board a sustainable plastic-free packaging solution?

One of the most significant benefits of corrugated board as plastic-free packaging is that it can be produced from 100% recycled material, as well as be completely recycled after use.

Not only can corrugated board be easily recycled, but it is strong enough to be used time and time again. Compared with plastic, corrugated board is a much more sustainable option for product packaging. It is also a much more cost-effective plastic-free packaging solution as it is relatively cheap to produce and purchase.

Corrugated board is much more lightweight compared with plastic, saving on shipping costs and reducing your company’s fuel consumption. Packaging can be cleverly designed using cardboard to fit product sizes perfectly and save space when shipping, making it an all-round sustainable plastic-free packaging solution.

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