Dairy Processing - November/December 2024 - 14

REUSABLE PACKAGING AN
UNTAPPED OPPORTUNITY
The slogan " reduce, reuse, recycle " represents
the three strategies to reduce
waste and preserve the environment.
But lately the emphasis on reuse is
catching fire around the world as consumers,
legislators and industry recognize the
role reusables can play in protecting the
environment, said Tim Debus, president
and chief executive officer of the Reusable
Packaging Association (RPA).
" I can say today that there is truly an
REACHING CONSUMERS
As much as the taste of a dairy manufacturer's
milk, cheese, butter or yogurt may keep
consumers coming back, companies know
it might be the packaging that snagged those
shoppers in the first place.
Amcor's dairy marketing manager, Travis
Klug, said the company's data shows that
81% of shoppers have tried something new
because the package caught their
eye. Citing research by WestRock
Company, Klug also noted
appearance or aesthetics of
the packaging has led to 63%
of shoppers re-purchasing a
product, while 52% completely
switched brands based on
new packaging.
" Packaging aesthetics are
a primary driver impacting
consumers' decisions to try
something new, buy something
again or switch brands, " Klug
said. " This driving influence can
have big implications for loyalty
and sales. "
Amcor's packaging solutions
include a variety of dairy packaging
products, including a number devoted
to cheese products. Packaging routinely
offers valuable information about cheese
ingredients for consumers with dietary
needs or preferences, complementing the
nutritional details on calories, protein, fat
content and more.
Even so, many companies want the
packaging that keeps their cheeses fresh
to deliver beyond the basics and an
14 NOV-DEC 2024 | DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
awakening that's taking place around
the world, " Debus told an audience
during Pack Expo International in Chicago.
" There's clarity that's forming about
reusable packaging and the reuse of the
products that we produce, taking the resources
and the capital and making sure
that we can leverage what we've made
over and over again and put it into a continuous
function of utility for reusable
packaging that's
driving value,
in our
case, in the supply chain. "
Driving interest and awareness of reuse
strategies is technology, which is a critical
piece of asset management.
" It's about having visibility of your business
- in this case of your supply chain
and the distribution of your goods all the
way from start to finish, " and within the
technology category and second in the
megatrends influencing the space is artificial
intelligence, Debus said.
" And that's where I see reusable packaging
as a tremendous opportunity to
digitize the economy, digitize the supply
chain, and the products that we produce
in reusable packaging, " he said.
Utilizing smart and connected, reusable
packaging products that can last for years
through multiple uses will be a windfall
for record keeping and quality control.
" It's truly going be breakthrough levels
of a value proposition associated with
smart and connected, reusable packaging
that leads to resilience, " Debus said. " The
whole agility of your operations is when
you know where your products are, where
they're going. You know when they're
going to arrive; you know what conditions
they're under. "
©gumpapa-stock.adobe.com, Tetra Pak
http://www.DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
Dairy Processing - November/December 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dairy Processing - November/December 2024
