PACKAGING
TACKLING THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES OF PACKAGING
Accounting for 12 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, UK manufacturing continues to face a range of environmental pressures. Neil Hansford, food packaging expert at Air Products, explores how the food and drink industry, the UK's largest manufacturing sector, is responding.
Driven by consumers’ desire to save money and reduce waste, demand for extended food shelf-life is growing. The evolution of packaging and associated technologies is an integral part of how manufacturers are responding. Of course, the food sector is not alone in its need to tackle excess waste. Industries across the board have been developing innovations in the application of packaging and smart solutions for decades. But as packaging changes, the food sector is facing a growing dilemma. On the one hand, there is the issue of plastic packaging and the drive to reduce single-use plastics which are, without doubt, a major contributor to our climate crisis. On the other hand, there is the growing issue of food waste, with 2.5 billion tonnes of food wasted every year across the world - amounting to 40 per cent of all food produced for human consumption. The difficult truth is that by seeking to reduce single use plastic packaging, food manufacturers risk triggering an increase in food waste and with it, an upward spiral of carbon emissions. The reason, quite simply, is that plastic packaging currently plays a critical role in keeping our food fresher for longer. Why? Because it provides the ideal environment for Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) - a proven and effective technology in extending shelf life and reducing food waste.
C Spring 2023 UKManufacturing
limate change and a difficult economic backdrop are presenting manufacturers with a real challenge - and the UK food and drink sector is no different.
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