In 2010, 27% of products at major US retailers are estimated to have sustainable packaging. By 2015, this figure is projected to reach 37%, according to the latest issue of EL Insights.
"Sustainable packaging" has been regarded as pleonastic because packaging by definition should be functional, efficient, and cost- effective.
Only recently, escalating environmental pressures from consumers, the media, and legislators have put pressure on manufacturers to emphasize innovation in design, choice of materials, processing, and life cycle logistics.
Environmentally conscious decisions now must both revolutionize packaging design and drive the bottom-line of companies.
Walmart continues to be on the forefront of sustainable packaging for that exact reason and has put pressure on the market to do the same. Although the retail giant has achieved many of its environmental goals such as plastic bag reduction, it continues to be unable to eliminate PVC from private-label packaging.
Both suppliers and buyers are focused on short-term strategies such as lightweighting packages and waste reduction strategies. California is leading the way with a collaborative initiative between public and private sectors that are positioned to drive change by backing the...
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