Will you eat your Packaging?
Yes that’s right…. Edible packaging. Now that is sustainable packaging. We’ve already seen this concept grab headlines last year, with PepsiCo reportedly considering edible packaging. Harvard professor David Edwards, developed self-contained edible packaging in an effort to reduce plastic and paper waste. Interesting and headline-worthy, its implementation is confronted with many challenges. The risk of this packaging material being broken up was one major issue. Marketing challenges was another major factor. The consumer’s impression is that such packaging is unhygienic.
Many, so Many Questions?
Would you go into your favourite fast food restaurant and eat your packaging?
What would it taste like?
What nutritional value would it have?
Would you Eat a recycled product?
What would you package the edible packaging in? And would that also be edible?
All these questions and much more…
Who will start this and will it be a trend?
McDonald’s rolled out its new packaging this month along with a pledge to source 100 percent of all fiber-based packaging from recycled or certified sources by 2020.This follows the fast-food chain’s November 2015 announcement that it’s centrally purchased packaging in Europe is 100 percent sustainably sourced. This is for the entire European stores. Cartons, cups, bags, napkins and tray liners, all made with wood fiber from recycled sources or forests certified products. Will they now be moving into edible packaging or have they already started? But for me, the biggest questions remain. How will the consumer react? Would you eat something you have already thrown in the trash?
Author: George Boutros, General Manager at Hoxton Industries. Caring about what tomorrow will bring us in sustainable packaging.
Yes that’s right…. Edible packaging. Now that is sustainable packaging. We’ve already seen this concept grab headlines last year, with PepsiCo reportedly considering edible packaging. Harvard professor David Edwards, developed self-contained edible packaging in an effort to reduce plastic and paper waste. Interesting and headline-worthy, its implementation is confronted with many challenges. The risk of this packaging material being broken up was one major issue. Marketing challenges was another major factor. The consumer’s impression is that such packaging is unhygienic.
Many, so Many Questions?
Would you go into your favourite fast food restaurant and eat your packaging?
What would it taste like?
What nutritional value would it have?
Would you Eat a recycled product?
What would you package the edible packaging in? And would that also be edible?
All these questions and much more…
Who will start this and will it be a trend?
McDonald’s rolled out its new packaging this month along with a pledge to source 100 percent of all fiber-based packaging from recycled or certified sources by 2020.This follows the fast-food chain’s November 2015 announcement that it’s centrally purchased packaging in Europe is 100 percent sustainably sourced. This is for the entire European stores. Cartons, cups, bags, napkins and tray liners, all made with wood fiber from recycled sources or forests certified products. Will they now be moving into edible packaging or have they already started? But for me, the biggest questions remain. How will the consumer react? Would you eat something you have already thrown in the trash?
Author: George Boutros, General Manager at Hoxton Industries. Caring about what tomorrow will bring us in sustainable packaging.
