What Has Packaging Ever Done for Us?
I recently attended a talk on how personal values and political beliefs shape perceptions of climate change more than scientific evidence. It got me thinking about how similar dynamics apply to packaging - often criticised as wasteful despite serving essential functions that we take for granted.
The assumption that packaging is purely wasteful deserves challenging. In reality, packaging enables three key aspects of modern life that most of us wouldn’t want to give up.
Choice
Modern consumers enjoy seasonal produce year-round and international foods through protective packaging technologies. High-barrier flexible films and modified atmosphere packaging (using nitrogen and carbon dioxide) extend shelf life for fresh foods during transportation and storage.
Without these technologies, we’d be limited to whatever was locally available and in season. No strawberries in December, no avocados from Peru, no spices from India. The global food supply chain that gives us unprecedented variety depends entirely on packaging that protects products through weeks of transport and storage.
And here’s something that might surprise the critics: this same packaging technology simultaneously reduces food waste. By extending shelf life, we’re not just enabling choice - we’re preventing the environmental cost of food that spoils before it reaches consumers.
Convenience
Microwaveable containers and thermoformed packaging allow consumers to prepare meals quickly. Portion-controlled items like boil-in-the-bag rice and sauce sachets reduce waste while offering convenience.
Think about the working parent getting home at 6pm with hungry children. The ready meal in its sealed tray, safe to microwave, provides a solution that would otherwise require hours of preparation. The single-serve sachet means no half-used jars going mouldy in the fridge.
This isn’t about laziness - it’s about the reality of modern life where time is precious and food waste is a genuine environmental concern.
Safety
Perhaps the most important function of packaging is one we rarely think about: keeping us safe.
Packaging prevents contamination from physical, microbiological, and chemical hazards. Labels provide critical information including allergen warnings, use-by dates, origin details, and cooking instructions. Tamper-evident packaging protects against deliberate contamination and keeps medicines away from children.
Consider the person with a severe nut allergy navigating a supermarket. Without clear labelling on sealed packages, every food purchase would be a potentially life-threatening gamble. Consider the parent trusting that the medicine bottle’s child-resistant cap will protect their toddler.
These aren’t theoretical benefits. They’re the invisible safety net that packaging provides millions of times a day.
The Real Question
Yes, packaging supports consumerism. And yes, we need to address the environmental impact of packaging waste. Legislation like the 5p plastic bag tax demonstrates that behavioural change is possible and that we can reduce unnecessary packaging use.
But the question isn’t whether we should have packaging - it’s how we can make packaging more sustainable while retaining its essential benefits.
Packaging addresses legitimate consumer needs for food safety, choice, and convenience. It’s an effect of demand rather than a cause of waste. The challenge for our industry is to meet those needs with materials and designs that minimise environmental impact - through recyclability, reduced material use, and renewable sources.
That’s a more nuanced conversation than simply asking whether packaging is good or bad. And it’s a conversation worth having.