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German Packaging Institute criticises DUH packaging check

The German Packaging Institute (dvi) criticises the packaging check in supermarkets published by the DUH and points out the role of consumption and the considerable progress made by the industry in terms of sustainability, circular economy and waste prevention.

The German Packaging Institute (dvi) criticises the packaging check in supermarkets published by Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH). The dvi emphasises the role of consumption and the considerable progress made by the industry in terms of sustainability, circular economy and waste avoidance and advises a fact-based approach to the issue of disposable versus reusable packaging.

„Contrary to what the non-representative research by Deutsche Umwelthilfe claims, companies in the packaging industry have been making considerable progress in the area of sustainability for decades. For example, since 1991 more than 23 million tonnes of material can be saved through lighter packaging alone. The fact that there was nevertheless a steady increase in packaging in 2021 is mainly due to the increasing consumption and the rising number of products sold. In 2020 alone, rising consumption led to additional expenditure of 22.2 per cent compared to 1991. Blaming the packaging for this does not address the actual causes. This is because less and less packaging is needed per product and the packaging used is also becoming increasingly sustainable and circular. Anyone who wants to talk about the volume of packaging and doesn't address consumption is avoiding a key issue,“ says Kim Cheng, Managing Director of the German Packaging Institute (dvi).

The dvi Managing Director also emphasises the central role of packaging in climate and environmental protection and resource conservation.

„On average, for example, only three per cent of the climate impact of packaged food is caused by the packaging. 97 per cent of the footprint is in the product. If food spoils or becomes inedible prematurely because it is inadequately packaged, then all the resources we have put into it, from sowing to harvesting to processing, are lost. Packaging protects great values with little effort. At the same time, tripling the shelf life reduces the food waste rate by 80 per cent. Packaging is not an end in itself. Unfortunately, the ecological benefits of packaging are still massively underestimated. Generalised statements that packaging fruit and vegetables is unnecessary are unsubstantiated simplifications. It is also not very helpful to pick out four „robust“ products and then apply the conclusion to the entire range of very different foods.“

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Kim ChengManaging Director of the German Packaging Institute (dvi)

The dvi also categorises the claims in the area of disposable and reusable as unhelpful. „Playing reusable and disposable off against each other in a simplistic way is counterproductive. Both have advantages and disadvantages. It depends on the product and the respective application. You should make the effort, consider the specific life cycle assessment of packaging, before making a judgement. A recently published study by GVM Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarktforschung has shown that transport kilometres driven will increase by 200 percent and the storage space required by 80 percent by 2040 if the fixed reusable quotas proposed by the European Commission are implemented as planned.

Reusable can be a great solution, but it's not a law of nature. Recyclable single-use packaging can be the better ecological choice in many cases, and this also applies to the beverage sector. It should not be forgotten that reusable packaging also means more effort - for example during transport and cleaning. The facts should count when calculating the life cycle assessment. Anyone who assumes ideal regional chains that don't exist in reality or forgets that even reusable containers or nets that are brought along have to be carefully cleaned to ensure hygiene and product quality is underestimating factors that nevertheless have a real impact,“ says Cheng.

„Whether packaging becomes a burden after use is in our own hands. Above all, recyclable packaging is a valuable secondary raw material that can become the starting point for new packaging or other products if it is properly recycled. Especially in countries with a good recycling infrastructure like Germany, packaging is not waste, but a resource. This applies regardless of whether the packaging is disposable or reusable.

People in Germany are well aware of this, as a representative population survey commissioned by us in March 2023 revealed. It shows, that recycling is the top preference for 76 per cent of people in Germany. in dealing with used packaging,“ informs Cheng.

In this context, the dvi Managing Director also refers to a New study by GVM Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarktforschung and the ifeu Institute for Energy and Environmental Research in Heidelberg, which the dvi commissioned together with other industry associations in May 2023. The study forecasts further increases in recycling feed and recyclate utilisation rates. „For example, the use of recyclates is expected to increase from 69% in 2021 to 81% in 2045 for glass, from 15% to 53% for plastic, from 94.2% to 95.9% for aluminium and from 89.8% to 90.2% for paper, cardboard and paperboard. Recycling feed-in rates will also continue to rise, from 85% in 2021 to 93.2% in 2045 for glass, from 63.5% to 79.3% for plastic, from 89.8% to 90.2% for paper and cardboard and from 94.2% to 95.9% for aluminium.“

The Conclusion of the dvi„Those who appoint themselves as referees and hand out red cards should remain fair themselves and consider all arguments.

Source: dvi

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