The general mood of consumers regarding ethical purchasing has undergone a dramatic shift over recent years. Gone are the days when flashy, excessive packaging could tempt buyers – today it’s all about utilising minimalist (yet effective) and sustainable choices.
Why We Care?
It’s not just customers who’re driving this change – governments and business entities around the world are raising awareness of our responsibilities. With an ever-increasing public awareness of the subject, companies that embrace environmentally-friendly methods of presenting their goods benefit from a significant USP over that of competitors who lag behind the times.
So why should we care? Not only from a moral point of view, but also from a sales perspective?
- The benefits to the planet and its inhabitants: Packaging production is an enormous industry, employing millions of people around the world and amounting to billions of dollars in turnover. If every business overhauled its packaging needs to that of using solely sustainable materials, the potential for the reduction of its negative impacts to the planet would be immense.
- A dramatic reduction in the use of raw materials: Given that most goods offered for sale are presented in some form of packaging, reducing the need for a never-ending demand on the raw materials is essential. Using sustainable packaging made from components that are fully recyclable/compostable and manufactured using energy from sustainable sources are the key features of how the industry needs to advance.
- Maximise energy and water efficiency: Careful production methods not only utilise a sustainable energy source, but reduces the amount of water used in the process. With an ever-increasing global population and a finite amount of water available, such efforts are only set to become more crucial in the years and decades to come.
- Reducing the use of potentially hazardous materials: Conventional packaging of the past and the disturbing increase of it ending up in landfill has led to the unenviable result of toxins leeching into our eco-systems. We’re all aware of the amount of plastic now littering our oceans, with no area of the planet being immune. Using sustainable alternatives and reducing packaging to the bare essentials not only satisfies our social and moral responsibilities but also sends a potent marketing message to your customers.
- Cost reduction: Advancing technology has led to more affordable methods of sustainable packaging production. This, combined with reducing the volume of primary materials used in the process, can lead to a substantial lowering of packaging production costs.
- Customer appeal: Now, more than at any time in the past, consumers look at every aspect of a product before deciding where to spend their money. No matter how ethical a product, if the packaging fails to embrace the same ethos then customers are highly likely to purchase elsewhere.
Quite simply, today’s enlightened purchaser is highly likely to shun a product that’s encased in packaging that hasn’t committed to reducing its environmental impact. A new generation of customer is coming of age and businesses ignore this at their peril. This makes today’s packaging choices an essential element of any marketing campaign. With advantages ranging from environmental benefits through to reduced costs and consumer desirability, the case for sustainable packaging is beyond doubt.
Partnering with an Ethical, Sustainable Packaging Producer
The packaging industry is at the forefront of sustainability – mainly because of it’s visibility to consumers. Partnering with a supplier who’s committed to managing and presenting solutions for sustainability is essential.
Western Australia’s businesses benefit from having the ultimate solution to custom packing boxes and sleeves with logos on their doorstep – Crystal Pack. The company is the state’s only zero carbon printer and has long been committed to utilising only the very best environmental practices.
Based in Perth, Crystal Pack’s expert team works with clients to determine the ultimate in sustainable packaging solutions, customising every aspect of the process from the design stage through to completion.
Find out more at www.crystalpack.com.au or give their friendly team a call on 08 9368 8555.