The first edition of the forum registered 450 participants from 20 countries and 35 international speakers.
The packaging world responded positively to the call of Packaging Speaks Green, the international forum dedicated to sustainability in the packaging sector, organized by UCIMA and the FICO Foundation. Two days of debate, discussions and proposals on the need to make the packaging industry more sustainable, with 35 international speakers 40 participants from 20 countries, and 40 accredited journalists.
The need for a new production system emerged universally during the forum; a new production system to be included within a wider scope, which includes technology and research oriented towards reusable, recyclable and compostable materials, consumer education and new global policies. A need that can no longer be postponed, also in light of the climate change the world is witnessing, as recalled by Tim Letts, deputy director for climate and energy for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
The sector is therefore moving towards intelligent, digital and flexible packaging, which meets the needs for consumers more sensitive to green issues; packaging that provides companies that invest in sustainability with a fundamental economic return, so that they can adopt the new systems.
In the first part of the forum, dedicated to legislation and society, an overview on the consumption situation related to packaging was given by Silvia Zucconi, market intelligence manager at Nomisma; Nicola De Carne, retailer client business partner at Nielsen; and Paolo Spranzi, associate partner at McKinsey. Nomisma examined the Italian and international markets by carrying out a survey for the forum, focused on the US and Germany.
Zucconi explained: “In terms of sustainability, Italy boats an overall better performance than the European average. However, all the countries taken into consideration by the study share certain values such as attention to the green characteristics of the packaging, the attitude not to buy products with too much packaging, and the search for packs with reduced dimensions.”
Rosa Rolle, manager at FAO, added: “The greatest challenge is to provide everyone with food by 2050, and we must do it reducing the environmental impact. Poor quality packaging leads to food loss. Plastic packaging guarantees fresh and better quality products, therefore in the coming years we must develop increasingly greener materials. The materials exist so we need to develop innovative food systems starting from the reduction of food loss and increase in efficiency.”
In the second part of the forum, the floor was given to retailers and brand owners including Giacomo Canali, packaging research manager at Barilla; and Roman Manthey, global supply chain engineering and infrastructure director at Coca-Cola Bottling.
A reduction in the use of packaging materials, the use of recyclable materials and cardboard from responsibly managed forests were the highlights discussed by Canali, who also underlined the importance of consumer education.
“We strongly believe in the circular economy and our goal is to have 100% recyclable plastic bottles. We are already eliminating all unnecessary or not easily recyclable packaging from our range,” Manthey added.
Coop presented its multi-year “Coop for the environment” project, confirming its commitment to sustainability, in line with its history and values. A testimony to their philosophy that does not consist of sporadic actions based solely on consumer sentiment, but which is based on the implementation of actions throughout the production chain.
Michele Frascaroli, technical director at CRIT, said: “The challenge for a more sustainable world is open, and machinery manufacturers are already fully involved in this challenge. All major players are working to provide increasingly sustainable approaches and solutions. Some are already on the market, while others are under study and will be presented in a few years.
“This is one of the factors that make up a circle of sustainable innovation which, in addition to being connected to the research and development of technology, also concerns corporate sustainability, knowledge of materials, collaboration with the producers of the materials and customer relations.”
At the closing of the first edition of Packaging Speaks Green, companies such as Amcor, Novamont, NatureWorks, TerraCycle, Herambiente and Aliplast presented materials, technologies and scenarios to reduce the environmental impact starting from innovative solutions.
Andrea Segrè, president of the FICO Foundation, said: “The FICO Foundation deals with sustainability at different levels, from agri-food production to the end-of-life of food and the products that enter our homes: the green packaging issue is strategic and falls within the objectives of the UN Agenfa 2030. This is why we look with confidence to a new edition of the Forum, to raise awareness of manufacturers, retailers, stakeholders and citizens of sustainability.”
Enrico Aureli, president of UCIMA closed the forum, and concluded: “After the success of this first edition, we will repeat the forum on an annual basis. UCIMA will also organise a permanent observatory, on innovative materials and the most suitable technologies to use them, open to the contribution of all public and private players.”
