Over the last five years, 85% of global consumers say they’ve focused their purchasing behaviors on being more sustainable. And out of everyone, a whopping 84% of the 44-and-under crowd insists they’re willing to pay more for environmentally friendly packaging.
This is not a drill. It’s a five-alarm fire. Are you talking up your eco-friendly qualifications? No single brand in retail or food and beverages is CLEARLY dominating the conversation around eco-friendly…but everyone knows it matters. This is an opportunity you can’t miss.
Pick an Angle
There’s more than a few ways to help the environment with your packaging, but no one material or style will do it all. Compostable packaging materials (even plastics) are buzzy in the industry and can be incredibly cool. Have you seen BioBorn? They can do printed, paper, plastic, large and small sizes…they’re the real deal. Ask me for samples and see for yourself.
But your package doesn’t need to be biodegradable to help the environment. Recyclable, re-usable, made with recycled materials, sustainable manufacturing processes…There are plenty of options. Flexible plastic packaging like eco-friendly pouches are finally outpacing rigid containers because of the many environmental benefits of a lightweight package that ships and stores and disposes flat.
Pick an angle and stick to it.
Know What Your Packaging Does!
The biggest mistake that many companies are making about their packaging right now is that they don’t know if — or how — it supports sustainability goals. Even if you’ve knowingly invested in an eco-friendly packaging solution, it’s critical that you know enough about it to clearly, concisely, and compellingly explain the benefits to others. So know your packaging! In the era of sustainable-minded consumers, your eco-friendly packaging is a big part of every good elevator pitch.
For example, we love to share the news about the clear sustainability advantages of eco-friendly pouches: WANT TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT? USE 85% LESS PLASTIC.
Tell Everyone
Companies that don’t promote anything about their packaging are losing out on major PR potential. Not only do you need to make a deliberate and well-informed choice in environmentally friendly packaging materials…you’ve got to tell everyone about it.
Blog about it. Video about it. Include snappy call-outs on the package itself. Put QR codes everywhere with intriguing statements that will take curious customers to your website, where you’ve got room to show them all of the time and money you’ve invested into your eco-friendly packaging solution. Corporate sustainability is a major selling point for your product. That package literally makes the product inside better as far as consumers are concerned.
So don’t miss your chance — spread the word.
Don’t Neglect Your Product
It’s important to let your consumers know how they can make a real difference with every product they purchase…but the product matters, too. Make sure that your packaging isn’t just a talking point — or worse, detrimental to your product.
Some companies love to talk about how they’re helping the environment with their mono-material paper pouches, but is it doing what you want it to do? Does it sufficiently preserve the freshness of your product? Will it protect it from moisture? How likely is it to get damaged and expose the contents? Can it safely contain your carbonated beverage without either exploding or making the drink go flat?
(Crazy advances in film tech have perfected this balance, by the way.)
The bottom line is that it’s not worth risking your product’s quality just so you can do some marketing about the package. Ensure that your eco-friendly packaging solution is up to the task and covers all your bases before you commit.
There’s enough firepower in these couple pointers to get you started, but if you’re looking for more tips (and options), let’s talk. ABC Packaging Direct — Stand Up Pouches offers a variety of eco-friendly packaging options and samples to show you what you’re getting in advance.
