| Wow, what a statement! I am sure I'll be | | | | Consumer Reports Oyster Awards; and packaging |
| excoriated for this opinion. | | | | related accidents. Yikes! Who wouldn't be on the |
| But seriously, this is how I make my living. I | | | | lookout. |
| understand and analyze how the packaging | | | | But let's get down to packaging basics. Here are a |
| industry works. It's complicated and it's big | | | | few packaging factoids you might consider before |
| business. To be cost effective consumer products | | | | beginning your annual holiday rant. |
| companies have been forced to use packaging as | | | | True packaging facts: |
| an integral part of their marketing campaigns. | | | | Packaging is the third largest industry in the US; |
| Remember the salesperson? When was the last | | | | 10% of every dollar spent at retail can be directly |
| time you saw one who actually knew anything | | | | attributed to packaging; |
| about the products inside the store? Selling - that | | | | The packaging industry employs over a million |
| is one job of product packaging. It has to tell the | | | | people; |
| customer all about what's inside the packaging. It | | | | Food accounts for 70% of all product packaging; |
| helps you make an informed purchasing decision | | | | Packaging is a trillion dollar industry; |
| too. | | | | The US accounts for 25% of the global packaging |
| Let me pose another question. When was the last | | | | economy with China closing fast; |
| time you bought something in a beat up | | | | The consumer has no idea the role packaging has |
| shopworn, dog-eared package? That's another | | | | to play in modern society; |
| packaging job -- to protect and secure the | | | | Without a package, you can't have a product (in |
| product inside (what a concept). | | | | most cases). |
| One factor these nay-sayers never consider is | | | | So what is the "packaging" reality here? While |
| who pays for damaged products? You do, the | | | | researching this article I came across a staggering |
| consumer of course! One study says that there is | | | | amount of what I call misinformation or |
| a 20% waste factor in fresh produce that's | | | | misunderstood information. |
| packaged properly. The detractors say no excess | | | | These are packaging facts I'm not so sure about: |
| produce packaging! What will be the waste factor | | | | Packaging makes up 1/3 of the average |
| with no or limited packaging? And who will absorb | | | | household's garbage? Defined by who? |
| this cost? You will again not the package | | | | US consumes about 660 pounds of packaging per |
| manufacturers or the retailers. | | | | person? Are we eating this? (just kidding) |
| My mind is numb from all the hue and cry about | | | | 90% of that packaging becomes solid waste. I |
| problem packaging: bad packaging, excess | | | | know this is not true from a seminar I attended |
| packaging, wrap rage packaging, get rid of | | | | recently. It's closer to 30-35%. |
| packaging, leave packaging at the store and so on. | | | | So lets get a little reality check here. Yes, there is |
| This one gets to me too -- stories about how | | | | bad packaging, yes, some things are |
| many injuries there are from people trying to | | | | overpackaged, yes we should give more |
| open packaging. | | | | consideration to the way we package products |
| Packaging is under attack by the very people | | | | and how much packaging is used; yes, we should |
| who need it the most and understand it the least: | | | | investigate more environmentally friendly |
| The Consumer. I counted no less than 10 stories | | | | materials, (the jury is still out on this one as to |
| this week decrying the bane of packaging. But it's | | | | the true cost benefit analysis) and finally yes we |
| true that what is considered excess packaging is | | | | the packaging industry should do a better job of |
| in the eye of the beholder. But with media | | | | educating the consumer about product packaging. |
| headlines like this how can one not be swayed? | | | | Yes, I want more product packaging. I want the |
| Weekend of action against packaging waste; | | | | things I want undamaged, fresh, uncontaminated, |
| Don't fall victim to Wrap Rage this holiday; | | | | secure, accessible and available where and when I |
| Parents urged to fight toy packaging,and don't | | | | want them. |
| forget these current trendy buzz phrases: | | | | To me that means more and better product |
| Packaging Hall Of Shame, | | | | packaging not less. |