Australian-first research by RMIT University has shown
the vital role of packaging in minimising food waste.
There are significant opportunities to reduce food
waste in the supply chain through improvements and innovation in packaging and
by communicating these benefits and opportunities to industry stakeholders.
Food is lost and wasted for many reasons, including
damage in the field from severe weather events and disposal of inedible
components during food preparation. While this loss/waste is largely
unavoidable, other waste occurs due to inefficiencies or poor handling in the
supply chain. This is where packaging can play an important role, for example
by reducing damage in transit and handling or by extending shelf life. A number
of packaging opportunities to reduce waste have been identified in this report,
based on an extensive literature review and interviews with stakeholders. They
are:
1)
Distribution packaging that provides better protection and shelf life for
fresh produce as it moves from the farm to the processor, wholesaler or
retailer. This may require the development of tailored solutions for individual
products.
2)
Distribution packaging that supports recovery of surplus and unsaleable
fresh produce from farms and redirects it to food rescue organisations.
3)
Improved design of secondary packaging to ensure that it is fit-for-purpose,
i.e. that it adequately protects food products as they move through the supply
chain. Packaging developers need to understand the distribution process and
where and why waste occurs.
4) A
continuing shift to pre-packed and processed foods to extend the shelf
life of food products and reduce waste in distribution and at the point of
consumption (the home or food services provider). The packaging itself also
needs to be recoverable to minimise overall environmental impacts.
5)
Adoption of new packaging materials and technologies, such as modified
atmosphere packaging and oxygen scavengers, to extend the shelf life of foods.
6)
Education of manufacturers, retailers and consumers about the meaning of use-by
and best-before date marks on primary packaging to ensure that these are
used appropriately. Confusion about date marking results in food being thrown
away when it is still safe to eat.
7)
Product and packaging development to cater for changing consumption patterns
and smaller households. Single and smaller serve products will reduce waste
by meeting the needs of single and two person households.
8)
Collaboration between manufacturers and retailers to improve the industry’s
understanding of food waste in the supply chain. Greater attention to be
given to where and why this occurs, tracking over time, will reduce the costs
and environmental impacts of waste.
9) More
synchronised supply chains that use intelligent packaging and data sharing to
reduce excess or out-of-date stock.
10)
Increased use of retail ready packaging to reduce double handling and
damage and improve stock turnover, while ensuring that it is designed for
effective product protection and recoverability (reuse or recycling) at end of
life.
The implementation of these initiatives
could be supported through further research and communication activities to
highlight the critical links and trade-offs between packaging consumption,
protection and containment of food, and food waste.
