Consultants to examine packaging decisions

Repak has appointed consultants to examine the dyanamics behind product packaging decisions in terms of Who and Why?

Perchards, a consultancy firm specialising with broad experience in packaging legislation and packaging decisions, will identify and study a number of product supply chains with a view to identifying and understanding the packaging, and packaging design, decision-making process.

A number of common products will be examined, and work back through the supply chain and study the factors and dynamics of packaging decisions, including who makes decisions, for what reasons and in accordance with what requirements. It will further enquire if these decisions and design decisions could be changed and if there are barriers to such changes.

It is intended that the project will develop criteria for identifying suitable products for study based on criteria such as: amount of product sold, volume of packaging materials used in bringing product to point of sale, consumer perceptions of “over-packaging”, range of packaging options and choices, likely availability of good case study information, essential requirements, and best in class criteria.

The final report will be examined by the Packaging Prevention Steering Group, a working group of the National Strategy Group on Packaging Waste Recycling.