How can the image of packaging still be saved? The participants of the 14th German Packaging Congress will be discussing this question. We asked the organisers for their assessment.
"Packaging image - between reputation and reality“ is the motto of the 14th German Packaging Congress. The German Packaging Institute (dvi) is inviting managers from all areas of the packaging value chain to Berlin on Thursday and Friday, 21 and 22 March 2019.
The two-day congress will be held for the first time in the National representation of Baden-Württemberg in Berlin. It is aimed at management, company executives and managers from industry, retail and branded goods companies. All guests can expect a programme of specialist lectures, workshops and excursions.
All current questions of the Packaging industry are to be discussed. This naturally includes the new Packaging Act. However, national, European and global initiatives to combat the ever-growing problem of plastic waste in the world's oceans are also in demand.
Public discussion determines the congress theme
„Our 2019 congress theme has more or less organised itself in view of the massive discussion about plastics and the central importance of a functioning circular economy,“ says dvi Managing Director Kim Cheng on the topic. Conference topic.
[infotext icon]On the dvi homepage you will find the detailed conference programme. There you can also find out whether registrations are still possible. Some workshops were fully booked early[/infotext].The list of speakers has been organised to match this. Among other things Eduardo Gordillo, CEO and founder of the multi-award-winning start-up Bio-Lutions, Thomas Reiner, CEO of Berndt+Partner and Chairman of the Board of the dvi, Konstantin Bark, Media Relations Manager at Unilever and business journalist Patrick Bernau are expected to attend. Gunda Rachut, Chairman of the Central Packaging Register Foundation, is also expected to attend. In an interview in the run-up to the congress, she warned: „Even if packaging may not be our biggest environmental problem, it is a symbol of an increasingly globalised world. resource-wasting economy, that we have not been able to afford for some time.“
On the second day of the congress, there will be workshops on topics such as Recyclability of packaging and the question of whether and how packaging can help improve the image of a product. Alternatively, excursions can be booked.
[infotext]Interview: Packaging has a lighthouse function
How does the discussion about the Littering the world's oceans plastic waste have on the image of packaging? The packaging journal asked dvi Managing Director Kim Cheng for their assessment.
pj: Is the image of packaging suffering as a result of the debate about plastic waste in the sea?
Kim Cheng: Yes, quite obviously. The packaging has often been the Dirty child, that was only viewed „from the dustbin“, but with Ocean Littering The new quality is also fuelled by powerful images and the intensive media networking of the public.
However, something else is crucial: it is not primarily an image that suffers, but above all the fauna and flora of our global ecosystem, even if it is clear that there is of course much more to ocean littering than just plastic packaging, on which the public debate is almost entirely focussed.
The fact that the packaging Lighthouse function However, we are not really surprised by the fact that the market has become particularly popular with consumers and the public. We have known this since the 1990s.
Just like back then, we should turn this role into a positive one. Be a pioneer. Leading the way. Packaging has provided the impetus for the introduction of Product responsibility and Circular economy. We can lead again now, show our innovative strength and thus also take on our share of responsibility.
pj: Can packaging manufacturers still afford to offer packaging that is difficult to recycle?
Kim Cheng: If you ask whether packaging manufacturers can afford it „in terms of image“, then the answer is: not really. Although the public eye is currently still focussed on plastic and ocean littering, all materials and processes are increasingly being scrutinised in terms of sustainability. And this is where Recyclability the central argument in favour of the (also) politically desired circular economy.
Political will, consumer wishes and corresponding demands from retailers and brand manufacturers will ensure that packaging manufacturers will „no longer be able to afford“ to offer poorly recyclable products. It is likely to become increasingly difficult to survive on the market with such products[/infotext].
