The packaging of fresh fruit and vegetables is perhaps one of the most misunderstood elements of the trade and as such, has had to face up to continued criticism and consumer concern, with the national press repeatedly accusing retailers of using excessive packaging and singling out fresh produce as an example.
Essentially, packaging protects fresh produce from production through the packhouse, to the way it is presented on the supermarket shelf. These packs and wrappers play a vital role in extending product shelf life, reducing food waste and retaining the appearance of fruit and vegetables.
However, the costs involved in packaging fresh produce and transporting the lot - often from one part of the world to another - mean that this is one area in which the fresh produce industry has long strived to make improvements, both to protect the environment and to make sure the numbers stack up.
But there is no question that there is always room to take forward the packaging offer and suppliers have been working with their customers to try to offer more sustainable materials, reduce pack weights and ensure that more can be recycled.
The topic is still up for debate and only last month, the UK food scene adopted a raft of new voluntary targets designed to reduce the carbon footprint of packaging. The goals have been taken on board by 28 major retailers and food brands as part of the second phase of the Courtauld Commitment, managed by the Waste & Resources Action Programme. Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose are among those to have signed up to the voluntary targets. They will have to reduce the carbon footprint of grocery packaging by 10 per cent on 2009 levels by 2012, through cuts in packaging weight, increased recycling and the use of more sustainable materials.
DEFRA secretary of state Hilary Benn praised the sector’s support for the new targets and urged more firms to “take action and halt the increase in packaging”.
Among the fresh produce packaging sector, the major players are working hard to meet expectations on all fronts.
Mauro Stipa, export director for fresh produce packaging at Italian firm ILIP, maintains that the role of packaging is essential in the supply chain and has come to allow for extra benefits, with retailers and suppliers using packs to both protect fruit and vegetables and promote their offer.
“Fresh produce packaging was born as protection for transport from the grower to the market,” he explains. “Still granting that primary purpose, fresh produce packaging has become a real marketing tool capable of adding value and influencing purchasing decisions.
“It has become popular to attack the packaging world, claiming that the sector is using too much conventional plastic packaging; on the other side, nobody is doing anything to invest more in ‘packaging culture’, or better instructing consumers on how to deal with plastic packaging use and waste,” he continues. “We can’t stop using plastic packaging for fresh produce, but we can certainly improve communications and involve schools and universities, agriculture ministries and trade associations.”
Mark Tierney, managing director of Produce Packaging, admits that the packaging sector has had to develop its offer in recent years, but he agrees that critics must be reminded of the benefits of packaging fresh produce. He insists, however, that the the supply chain must ensure that packaging is used correctly.
“There have been a number of statements concerning the ‘over use’ of packaging in recent years,” says Tierney. “In certain cases, this was possibly true - however, people seem to forget the various roles that packaging materials carry out. Packaging protects, presents and promotes the materials it is used for and as long as it is carrying out the role it was meant to do at the level intended, then these statements about the over use of packaging should carry no credibility. It is the responsibility of the suppliers, users and end retailers of fresh produce to ensure that this is applied to each line.
“I am pleased to say that this has had the necessary focus, with a rationalisation of the base materials of plastics being used to largely favour PET in its various forms (where possible), resulting in easier recycling. There is a focus on reducing the over use of all types of base materials and also reducing the weight of the various types of raw materials, whether paper, plastic or others when needed.
“At Produce Packaging, we have tailored our offer to meet the demands of our customers. We have reduced the weight of plastics wherever possible for conventional produce. We have developed our range of compostable and recyclable packaging models for organic produce and have invested in certification from both OK Compost and Dincertco with our supplier Huhtamaki. And we have introduced a range of easily recyclable carton board trays for speciality, higher-value lines to replace plastic.”
However, there are a number of challenges still facing the packaging sector, from understanding and interpreting requirements and managing costs to dealing with the aftermath of the economic downturn.
Tierney maintains that the main challenge is what the customer needs and “understanding the change in ‘influencer’ from grower-packer to retailer”, which has changed the shape of the industry over time. “We have adapted to this change to cover the supply chain all the way through from grower to packer and marketing company to the end retailer,” he says. “The requirements from one of our grower customers are significantly different to those of our retailer customers.
“The sector has been affected in a number of ways over the last 18 months,” he continues. “The fall in the value of sterling against the euro, the increase in the cost of fuel and the fall in production output of a number of different types of base materials have all added cost to the supply chain. This has meant that end users of fresh produce packaging materials need cost to be removed from the supply chain and a reduction in the number and types of both high- and medium-value lines has resulted in very difficult trading conditions. Thankfully, we have been able to meet these challenges head on by focusing on removing cost from the supply chain in partnership with our suppliers and ensuring that our own costs are managed to reduce the effect on our customers.
“We have also focused our efforts on innovating new types of packs, raw materials and reducing weights to ensure that our customers are able to cut their costs.”
And when it comes to going greener, these challenges are magnified under scrutiny from many quarters. However, the sector has come together to make sure it is heading in the right direction.
Stipa admits that for political, economical and technical reasons, the packaging sector is not yet ready to take the ultimate decision towards a real “green” plastic material like PLA, which is 100 per cent generated by renewable resources.
“In the meantime, however, important improvements have been consolidated by market habits in terms of punnets down-gauging and thereby saving tonnes of plastics, as well as using RPET,” he explains. “Our research and development budget is mainly dedicated to industrial investment to produce more volumes with a higher percentage of recycled post-consumer wasted plastic material.”
The roles that fresh produce packaging play are many and varied, from protecting and preserving fruit and vegetables to conveying information and promoting the lines on display.
“As the first thing a consumer sees when they enter the majority of stores, fresh produce has an enormous influence on the customer perception of that retailer,” says Tierney. “However, the majority of the UK public does not visit a food retailer to window shop so fresh produce has to be easily accessible and more importantly, give the perception of quality and freshness. Packaging can not only help to present the produce, but it should also protect the produce to ensure its freshness and quality. Finally, UK consumers largely want access to their fresh produce so that it is not simply to be available on a shelf, but also to be easily grabbed. In the case of many convenience and forecourt stores, this means pre-packed for a speedy purchase and in a large store, packaged to ensure that it is protected both to the point of retail, but also to the consumer’s home.
“Packaging plays a major role in the fresh produce industry by ensuring that the product reaches the consumer’s home in as good a condition as possible, while also offering the supplier and retailer the opportunity to add value either through innovative presentation or through processing, as is the case with prepared produce.”
It is clear that packaging has been central to the development of the fresh produce offer and this is unlikely to change in the long term, with suppliers and retailers still fuelling demand.
“Fresh produce must be presented in plastic packaging now and in the future,” says Stipa. “We can’t turn back time and stop a sector moving tonnes of fresh produce all over the world. Plastic packaging guarantees the highest hygiene standards not achievable through a bulk presentation on the shelves. Again, the problem is not on the plastic tonnes we use for this sector but the right packaging culture, which we have to convey to consumers. This goal has to be achieved not only through the contribution of packaging manufacturers and the multiples, but also with more consistent support from the government.”
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