Greening Trends In Packaging Of Consumer Products

While attempts to make consumer product packaging much more ecologically sound are definitely nothing new (remember Styrofoam cups?), emerging trends in consumer packaging appear to be aiming at the increased incorporation and implementation of bioplastics – a kind of plastic item made from natural sources like sugar and corn.

As the American public continues to clamor for more and more environmentally sound corporate procedures, the lines of petroleum-based plastic bottles and boxes on our grocery shop shelves are coming under more and more scrutiny. Leaders in the consumer product packaging industry, like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, appear to have accepted this push toward greener packaging. Back in 2009, Coca Cola proclaimed that their water product Dasani would soon be sold in bottles containing roughly 30% bioplastic. Not to be outdone, Pepsi upped the ante earlier this year by announcing that their new plastic bottles are 100% petroleum free.

Within the wake with the ongoing cola wars, businesses from multiple goods industries are certain to begin making similar choices in consumer product packaging style. Shampoo, ketchup and mustard, dish soap, milk, and even cold cuts packaging manufacturers face a clearly demarcated fork in the road. Continue on using petroleum based plastics, and danger the anger of ecological awareness groups worldwide, or adhere to the lead of Coke and Pepsi by turning over a new leaf and embracing bioplastic?

It’s a safe bet that most packaging manufacturers will toe the line and begin down a greener path – researchers predict that production and usage of bioplastics will increase considerably over the subsequent few years, fueled largely by the ecological efforts of main food producers and distributors.

So what does this mean for the consumer? Nearly nothing. Whilst bioplastics may be nominally much more expensive now, there will not be any visible rise in item costs other than an additional penny or two for a jug of milk, and with the market trending in that direction, bioplastic production costs will definitely come down more than the subsequent couple of years.

Oliver David contributes articles for PackagingSpot.com and other publications about subjects like product packaging design.