“Promoting brand values through sustainable packaging“ – was the motto of last year’s Pro Carton Congress in Düsseldorf. Ever greater importance is being attached to sustainability: it is one of the crucial drivers of innovation of all.

On 25 and 26 November 2009 over 200 delegates – especially from the executive levels of the branded products, carton and folding box industries – attended the 8th Pro Carton Congress at the Düsseldorf Congress Center. Sustainability was at the centre of the event: How can sustainable packaging create customer loyalty? How can the competitive edge be secured, CSR requirements fulfilled and costs be optimised? The experts discussed approaches, solutions and examples of best practice. According to Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, the Trade Congress showed how Corporate Responsibility “will fundamentally change the rules of the entire consumer goods sector.” Because sustainable concepts will become increasingly indispensable to manufacturers. Or as trend researcher Andreas Reiter put it: “The Green Deal reconciled ecology with economy.”

Consumers and Sustainability

Furthermore, participants were given initial insights into the results of a recent GfK study on the “Consumer Attitude towards the Sustainability of Packaging”. In a nutshell, four out of five consumers considered ecological criteria to be of elementary importance in connection with product packaging, 74% disliked buying double packaging and preferred primarily recyclable materials.

Thomas Bachl, General Manager at the Society for Consumer Research (GfK) SE, elaborated on the potential in the optimum interplay of all stakeholders in the value chain for successful and efficient packaging. He said that linking sustainability with cost efficiency, creativity and advertising impact was becoming more and more important. Bachl made a distinction between five different types of consumers analysing their attitude to the topic Corporate Responsibility.

Carton is considered environment-compliant

So-called “critical consumers” attach importance to the type and sustainability of packaging and an above-average percentage of them advocate recyclable packaging – containing as little plastic as possible. “Responsible committed shoppers” place special emphasis on aspects of relevance to the environment. Provided contents are the same – these consumers prefer packaging that they consider as gentle as possible on the environment. And in their eyes this was, above all else, carton packaging, according to Bachl. Bachl broke down the remaining consumers into “autonomous family people”, “progressive first-movers” and “ego-centred indulgers”.

www.zurueckzumursprung.at

Bachl explained that education and information were key because one third of consumers ultimately wished to find sustainability indications on the packaging. Another key aspect was consumers’ willingness to even pay more for environment-compliant packaging. Provided that sustainability information is communicated – ideally on the packaging itself by e.g. credible seals. This means that C02 product passports can play an ever more important role. An example stated here was the Austrian Aldi-subsidiary Hofer, which states the carbon footprint (from packaging to transport) for selected organic products from its range on the website www.zurueckzumursprung.at. The Metro Group has now also established a Sustainability Board whose task it is to work out and implement binding standards for sustainable business across the group.

Award-winning sustainability

The Pro Carton/ECMA Awards have been presented now for 13 years. Once again this year a packaging unit received an award for its particular “sustainability” in one of eleven categories during the “Night of Packaging” as part of the Pro Carton Congress: The winner was the universal set packaging “Synergy D6” for dental medical components.

In September 2008 Carl Edelmann was commissioned with developing a packaging unit for Coltène/Whaledent where as many extruded plastic parts as possible were to be replaced by carton. As before the focus was, of course, on an attractive product presentation – in conjunction with easy handling for folding up and filling. Edelmann developed the idea of fitting all sets in one modular carton packaging. Tray, lid and sleeve remain the same – only the inserts are replaceable and can be individually exchanged. This modular set-up is designed to cut tooling costs, increase economy and simplify making up. On top of this, the clear white carton is to reinforce the look and feel of a “pure” and clean packaging at dental practices. Since March 2009 this packaging has been rolled out and met with positive response the world over, said the jury in its verdict. The jury was very impressed with the new design because one packaging made of two plastic parts was replaced by one single piece of cartonboard.

Sustainability

The brochure “Sustainability and Cartonboard Packaging” provides an introduction into the potential held by cartonboard packaging in terms of sustainability. It is available for download on www.procarton.com in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. Furthermore, this also features a new sustainability website including many details on ecology, economy, society – and their relation to cartonboard packaging.