What are the benefits of food packaging and what effect does it have on the climate? The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Verpackung und Umwelt (Packaging and Environment Working Group) presents its view of things and has presented a study on the "Benefits of packaging".
Food belongs on the table and not in the bin - that is a social consensus. Nevertheless, avoidable food waste accounts for 20 to 25 1TP3 tonnes of German food production - with negative consequences for climate protection. For a "fact-based debate on climate protection and food protection", the AGVU, in collaboration with the consultancy firm "denkstatt" and the Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarktforschung GVM, is now once again presenting a study from the "Benefits of packaging" series.
20 % of greenhouse gas emissions in Germany result from nutrition
"If food ends up in the bin spoilt or damaged, its CO2 emissions are doubled because a replacement has to be produced. Packaging that reliably protects food and reduces the waste rate prevents this. The consistent reduction of food waste could reduce the German climate footprint by up to 5 %."
Carl Dominik Klepper, AGVU Chairman
Hardly any more unpackaged food
93 % of all food is packaged today, according to the study. Good packaging has a leverage effect on climate protection, as the climate footprint of the packaged food is on average 16 to 30 times higher than the footprint of the packaging. "Packaging only has to reduce the waste rate of the food by a few percentage points to have a positive climate impact on the bottom line," explains Dominik Klepper. Butter packaging, for example, only contributes 0.4 % to the carbon footprint of the overall product, while a milk carton contributes around 4 %. This takes into account the entire life cycle of the packaging, including its disposal.
Consumers have a different perception
However, the perception of many consumers is different: according to a denkstatt survey, 36 % are of the opinion that packaging is not necessary for food. The AGVU wants to encourage a more differentiated view of packaging. "Among other things, it depends on whether a food product has to travel long distances or comes from the region - depending on this, packaging can make a lot of sense for the carbon footprint." Protective packaging that avoids food waste and is suitable for high-quality recycling quickly pays off in terms of climate protection.
Source: Arbeitsgemeinschaft Verpackung und Umwelt e. V.
