With food waste a pressing global concern, WPO Vice President for Sustainability & Save Food, Nerida Kelton calls for international collaboration, particularly in the Middle East and Africa, to adopt innovative packaging solutions that combat food loss.
Food waste is a complex and often underestimated global issue when looking at sustainability and environmental impacts ,” explains Nerida Kelton, Vice President Sustainability & Save Food, of the World Packaging Organisation (WPO).
The WPO, a federation of leading packaging associations and institutions with 64 member countries, focuses on developing global standards and promoting innovative packaging solutions. One important area is to look at designing packaging that can extend food shelf life and reduce spoilage. As an active partner of the SAVE FOOD initiative, a joint venture between Messe Düsseldorf, interpack, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the WPO aims to help minimise global food loss and waste through improved packaging design.
Kelton, a passionate advocate for sustainability and food waste is deeply involved in the Save Food Org initiative, emphasizes the importance of designing optimal packaging with the lowest environmental impact, ensuring that the packaging is always fit-for-purpose and functional first and looking at the use of materials that are recyclable. Some exciting areas for Save Food Packaging is looking at advanced materials that can offer barrier technologies, shield food from moisture, oxygen, and light, reduce spoilage, protect the product through the value chain and significantly extending shelf life. She also advocates for resealable systems that maintain product freshness and safety after opening. Furthermore, user-friendly designs, such as easy-to-open closures and optimized dosing mechanisms and portion control dispensing, are crucial for minimizing product loss and meeting consumer needs.
Packaging Functionality: A Crucial Factor
Innovative Save Food Packaging plays an important and integral role in reducing food loss and waste throughout the value chain, from production to the end consumer. “Global and country-based Sustainability discussions often overemphasize plastic and packaging waste, overshadowing the crucial functionality of packaging with the lowest possible environmental impact,” says Kelton. “The true challenge lies in balancing functionality, economic factors, consumer requirements, and environmental criteria. Unsuitable packaging is a major contributor to food loss and waste and has significant negative environmental impacts. The unintended consequences of poor packaging design can lead to unnecessary food loss and waste.”
According to Destatis, an average of 132 kilograms of food is wasted per capita annually in the European Union. “End consumers require and deserve access to more information to make informed and sustainable choices,” states Kelton. “The entire industry and all stakeholders must collaborate to enhance consumer understanding of packaging’s true role, particularly its functionality in protecting the product throughout the supply chain, right up to its use in the household. Food Waste is an issue in all corner of the globe and we don’t want to see edible food in landfill.”
Vice President Sustainability & Save
Food World Packaging Organization (WPO) for Australia and New Zealand
Global Consumer Education: A Necessity
The WPO’s educational campaigns focus on packaging that clearly and concisely communicates best-before and use-by dates, reducing uncertainty and encouraging the sustainable use of food until its actual expiry date. Ideally, this information is supplemented with specific storage and preservation instructions, such as QR codes or pictograms providing additional application information.
“Packaging conveys vital information that enables consumers to use the exact amount of food required, preventing overconsumption and the disposal of leftovers,” explains the packaging expert.
High-Impact Innovations
Through its “SAVE FOOD Packaging” initiative, also in collaboration with the Düsseldorf interpack project SAVE FOOD, the WPO promotes and annually awards innovative packaging solutions that enhance food protection and shelf life. These awards recognize advanced materials, intelligent technologies (such as fruit ripeness monitoring), and pioneering solutions for extending food freshness.
Kelton provides examples of outstanding innovations: “The Flexprep portion dispensing bag, a recipient of the Australian Packaging Innovation Design Award, was customized for the food sector and recently adopted by McDonald’s Australia for its entire product range. This packaging incorporates portion control for storing, dispensing, and packaging sauces, reducing waste compared to conventional rigid cans through precise portioning.”
These pre-filled flexible bags, used in conjunction with a mechanical dosing gun, dispense precise amounts of sauces and seasonings. The desired portion size is adjustable via the dispenser. Additionally, the portion dosing limits oxygen supply to the bag due to its excellent oxygen barrier properties, minimizing oxygen-related spoilage.
Naked Rival, a company specializing in frozen lemon and lime cubes made from 100% freshly squeezed juice without seeds, peel, or preservatives, which can be stored in the freezer for up to two years, also received an award. “The founders were motivated to reduce the amount of citrus waste sent to landfills due to imperfections in shape, size, color, surface texture, or ripeness,” explains Kelton.
Worldwide Cooperation
As the WPO Vice President Sustainability & Save Food, Nerida Kelton travels globally to foster dialogue and advance viable solutions. “While no two countries are identical, it’s crucial to establish global regulations and standards that can be tailored and implemented locally.”
International networks facilitate the harmonization and implementation of ambitious goals. Key partner organizations include the Save Food Org, FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), and UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization). “I am thrilled that we have strengthened our collaboration in recent years, engaging in discussions on food packaging, design, and sustainability to reduce food waste. We have several exciting projects underway,” reports Kelton. “One key objective is to expand the Save Food Org Award and integrate projects in Egypt, the Middle East, and Africa.”
Often, small steps lead to significant achievements. The “SAVE FOOD Packaging” initiative offers practical training and educational materials that guide better packaging design and optimized material and format selection. Design criteria for safe food packaging are disseminated worldwide through workshops, industry trade fairs, sustainability events, and training modules. The next project objective is to assist companies in integrating these design principles into their processes.