Reduce plastic, not impact!

It’s hard to miss the changing conversations surrounding plastics. In today’s news and media, plastics and polymers are rarely out of the headlines, and the changing consumer relationship with the material is one of the biggest driving forces in modern packaging design.

We’ve all seen the headlines and images of plastic packaging littering streets and oceans – but it’s a complex story to tell when it comes to sustainability. To present packaging at its most environmentally responsible, there must be a rock-solid recovery and recycling system in place, which isn’t quite there yet.

Of course, there is also increasing pressure in terms of legislation, with the introduction of taxes and levies designed to incentivise sustainable packaging solutions. The UK Plastic Packaging Tax is one example – brands and their packaging supply chains that import or manufacture more than 10 tonnes of plastic packaging in the UK, in a 12-month period, will be charged at £200 per tonne on packaging that isn’t at least 30% recycled plastic.

In the enormous volumes required in today’s retail sector, this of course has the potential to attract huge unwelcome costs. Adding to the challenge, as the demand for recycled plastic (PCR) soars, it’s likely that costs will increase and the substrate will become harder to acquire – a change that’s already starting to take effect. A major worry for many brands is that in the changing world of packaging regulation, the pressures on plastic use will only grow.

In addition, plastic continues to be villainised in the media as consumers get to grips with the finer points of sustainability. After use, how effective the recycling process is can vary from one place to another, with many local plastic waste streams being fractured and disjointed. In total, the upshot is that plastic packaging, for brands and the consumer alike, doesn’t hold the same appeal it once did.

So – what’s a packaging designer to do? When signs point towards reducing plastic content through the supply chain, can it be achieved without sacrificing performance, aesthetics or quality? Could alternative substrates help designers to create packaging that raises a smile?

At New Vision Packaging, we say yes!

Is plastic the villain it’s made out to be in consumer media? Not really.

However, is there a better way to do things in today’s packaging market? Absolutely!

Below, we take a closer look at two egg-cellent New Vision packaging projects that prove there’s much more to brilliant packaging design than just plastics. It’s time to think outside the polymer.

European supermarket giant Aldi looked to remove plastic from its chocolate Easter egg pack designs. Adding complexity, the brief required full visibility of the eggs, without using plastic.

To create packaging that delivers the ‘wow factor’ without using plastics, the New Vision team got to work, designing a card ‘clam’ and sleeve to remove the need for plastic inside the box. The sleeve also securely held an exquisite and delicate selection of truffles inside the clam card.

The box is made from standard folding box board and to tackle the challenge of product visibility, the New Vision Team used a wood fibre window. With New Vision innovation, Aldi was able to label its packs as ‘plastic free’ and for the consumer, this means the whole box can be put into paper and mixed recycling bins after use. Sustainability made simple!

We also took this approach, working with supermarket retailer Asda. The company’s line of luxurious Extra Special Easter eggs looked fantastic and needed the packaging to back it up! A winning combination of ‘greener’ packaging materials, excellent protection and standout graphics was absolutely key.

Last season, the Extra Special Easter eggs used a PET plastic clam design but with the help of the New Vision team, this was upgraded to a sturdy and secure card design. Strong, eye-catching graphics were used in place of the window, which shows the versatility of our design approach.

With spot gloss varnish highlighting the product and imagery, the design provides a novel, high performance and plastic-free approach to packaging.

These are just two examples of how brands can create real visual impact without the need for plastics, and of course, as plastic packaging becomes a more complex and often contentious issue, there are fantastic alternatives available – including high-performance, high barrier and visually stunning card and cartonboard.

Why not get in touch with our team today and discover just how easy it can be to eliminate plastics from packaging? Contact us today to find out how we can make your brand – and consumers – smile.