Biofore Magazine 2020

FEATURE

25

aging is “in the firing line” as the tradition- al practical and emotional considerations are being balanced with environmental concerns, with companies facing a strong demand from consumers to operate sus- tainably. This has made many brands “race to show they are doing something,” Speisser says. Companies are considering the need to rethink their whole supply chains – from storage to transportation, delivery in the final mile and even con- sumer behaviour around purchasing and returns. Using new types of packaging is often the easiest way for a company to show it is taking action. Gendell says that companies are ap- proaching this push from consumers in different ways. “Most companies that address the en- vironmental considerations of packaging aim to build a story that is accessible by the general public, with narratives around recycling, using less packaging, prevent- ing deforestation and other concepts that consumers can easily relate to. Within this trend, there’s a trend of making im- provements that go beyond these more tangible concepts. More and more com- panies are addressing carbon footprints, toxicity, volumetric efficiency, and other areas that may not directly translate into amass-marketable story,” Gendell notes. But standing up on the issue of sustain- ability is not enough; companies have to stand out too. Here, collective intelligence plays a vital role. Landor and FITCH, for example, sees it as vital to bring together an ecosystem of minds, including packag- ing technologists, design specialists, sup- ply chain, procurement, brand, marketing, sustainability experts, and a constellation of expert partners. Through this collective process, Speisser explains, “we not only imagine but, most importantly, improve.” Consumer paradox in corona times According to Gendell, the effects of the pandemic on packaging design choic- es are still being understood. Although

consumer awareness and sustainability concerns have been rising in recent years, some believe the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a consumer paradox. On the one hand, there are demands for sustaina- bility in terms of packaging, on the other hand, Speisser points out, we are seeing a renewal of mass consumerism motivated by convenience and safety. “The pandemic has resulted in a back- track in progress on single-use plastics. For example, we are being told to dis- pose of face masks after use to stay safe,” Speisser says. “Likewise, many people still do not feel safe or comfortable visiting a physical store and so choose to shop on- line. And e-commerce has been so good at removing the barriers to purchase, meeting buyer demand for immediacy and ensuring clothes fit and look good by allowing multi-buys and free returns. However, this has an enormous impact on the environment and online brands now have a responsibility to change consumer behaviour to reduce this impact.” Luckily, there have been tremendous gains in designing product packaging that is suitable for transportation on its own, which has the potential to eliminate the infamous dilemma of box-in-a-bigger- box shipping, Gendell argues. The way forward for sustainability in the packag- ing industry will boil down to technology, collective intelligence and a real commit- ment to the goal. “Brands need to go further and in- fluence consumer behavioural change, encouraging customers to use this tech- nology,” Speisser concludes. “Once again, any solution will require enormous col- lective intelligence. However, we should not be fazed by this challenge. We believe that small changes can make an imme- diate difference. For sustainability to be achieved, and for it to be truly sustain- able, it must benefit people, planet and profit. Brand-led sustainability is the key to transform doing good into a competi- tive advantage.”