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Monday 3 March 2014

Choosing Eco Friendly Food Packaging Supplies

By Lisa Williamson


Increasingly more people are enquiring about the business practises of the companies they buy from and their suppliers. An increasingly large concern is the environmental policy of a business and where they source items from. For a lot of companies this is not only something they may choose to follow up on ethical grounds but may also be a marketing tool. A good example of this is choosing eco friendly food packaging supplies.

Some people may be cynical about this. There is the fear that having to use a more environmentally friendly supplier will result in increased costs. This is indeed something that can potentially happen. However this does not always have to be the case and with some lateral thinking this may indeed save you money.

One of the simplest ways to reduce this is to reduce the size of the packaging. A good recent example of this is a brand of orange drink. Recent changes of design has meant that the amount of orange drink in the bottle could be concentrated, in effect meaning that you got the same amount from a smaller bottle than a larger bottle in the previous and less efficient design.

Another way is to look at the material it is made from. This is where it can get potentially complicated. You need to pay attention to the company and the language they use on the website in order to gauge how environmentally friendly their supplies are and whether or not they are appropriate to your business.

In terms of making products more environmentally friendly you have to look at what it is made from. Recycled materials can be effective. However it is important to check how much material is recycled. If it is a small percentage then it means a large amount of the packaging is made from material that is not sustainable and therefore this is less environmental benefit.

There is also the issue of what the material is made from and where that material has been sourced from. For example more companies are using items made from sustainable sources and this is often clearly advertised on their website. This means that for every item made trees are replanted and there is always a supply of materials available in order to make more products without impacting on the local surrounding environment.

Another big issue in recent times is landfill. This means large piles of items that cannot break down. Instead of using plastic that cannot break down a better choice are biodegradable or compostable items. Biodegradable items break down after just over a year while compostable items not only break down but are also beneficial because they can be added to compost. This is ideal for people who produce food as in effect you can spend less on fertiliser as well as getting the benefits of more environmentally friendly packaging.

As with any purchase it is important to check suppliers. You ought to compare at least three suppliers as this will give you the chance to compare their environmental credentials and the benefits of using their services. With the right approach you will find the best options to make your business environmentally friendly and in a way that need not necessarily cost too much in the process.




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