{"id":73948,"date":"2023-02-17T18:16:25","date_gmt":"2023-02-17T17:16:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/?p=73948"},"modified":"2023-02-16T14:27:41","modified_gmt":"2023-02-16T13:27:41","slug":"english-2023-01-02-schubert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/en\/english-2023-01-02-schubert\/","title":{"rendered":"Drivers for changing consumer behaviour"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you look at the trends in the food industry from a packaging point of view, ecological sustainability will be the defining theme again this year. The eye will continue to eat along with the food, and therefore there is no way around an appetising presentation of the goods, albeit with further increased consideration of the consequences for the environment and climate.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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At present, we are not only living in difficult economic times, but also in difficult political times. The high energy prices are of course not only affecting energy-intensive production, but all parts of the economy and European society. Those who believed after Corona and the supply bottlenecks that the deep valley had been passed are being rudely brought back down to earth by inflation and the energy crisis. It is important to remember that difficult times offer opportunities for change<\/strong>. After all, the opportunities to increase entrepreneurial flexibility, agility and efficiency through innovations, automation and digitalisation<\/strong> are also and especially given in times of crisis.<\/i><\/span><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The food industry must also follow the changing consumer behaviour and with it the packaging issue. And this is where it gets exciting: On the one hand, the products have to be safely packaged and protected for transport; on the other hand, the packaging as a means of presentation has to be convincing and sustainable at the same time. However, many consumers are unsure which choice will keep their ecological footprint lean when shopping<\/strong>. They are not alone in this, because most manufacturers or users of packaging feel the same way. Packaging that may be well-intentioned but is more harmful than beneficial to the environment continues to enter the market. The waste management companies know the problem: what cannot be separated well or only has a small share in the collection of recyclable materials cannot be recycled. Then the recyclable material cycle misses out on the material and the recycler misses out on his margin<\/strong>. For non-recyclable materials, the only option is thermal recycling.<\/span><\/p>

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Recycling as a determining factor<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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But it is not only the social trend towards more sustainability that will dominate the future. In the future, politics will set the direction for industry with stricter regulations and recycling quotas<\/strong>. The background is the European Union's Green Deal with an action plan for a functioning circular economy. In the packaging and food industry, this requires not only the use of fully recyclable materials, but also the targeted collection, clean separation and complete recycling of waste, resulting in a pure material<\/strong> that can be used again for the same purpose without compromise.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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3D format parts bring flexibility to packaging processes, as with this format plate on the Schubert transmodule, which can accommodate ten different can formats.\n(Picture: Gerhard Schubert GmbH)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In the meantime, several recyclers and dual systems have already developed their own certifications<\/strong> with which the recyclability of the respective packaging solution is reassessed. The food industry will probably have to rely more on the use of mono-packaging materials and paper packaging<\/strong>. In the course of this, the trend towards plastic-free packaging, and also the trend towards \u201erefill\u201c will increase. So, the crucial questions are: Where can the industry do without plastic? Where can substitute products be used, and how do I protect food from damage during transport?<\/span><\/p>