Is packaging really necessary?
‘Blanket demands like “Paper, not plastic !” don’t help,’ says Carolina Schweig, who works at her engineering office outside Hamburg to develop sustainable packaging concepts. ‘The point is to choose the appropriate material with the greatest benefit and the least environmental impact, according to the product and purpose.’ The first steps in the right direction, in her view: ‘Everyone should ask themselves if the packaging is really necessary. If it is, can it be made smaller, thinner or lighter? Is it recyclable? Is there a viable reusable solution instead?’
This is what the future of packaging looks like at METRO
METRO is examining how packaging can be designed as sustainably as possible for all own-brand products. By 2030, own-brand packaging should be recyclable, reusable or even home-compostable. The proportion of recycled plastic in own-brand packaging will also increase significantly - to 30 per cent. And for paper, cardboard and wooden packaging, the following applies: only certified or with at least 70 per cent recycled content. Problematic materials such as PVC and EPS will no longer have a place in the product range in future.