PIDA 2023: Sustainable Packaging Design of the Year

The Sustainable Packaging Design of the Year award is designed to recognise companies that have developed innovative packaging or processing solutions that incorporates sustainability considerations. Elements include Social, Material, Source Reduction, Energy and Recovery.

Due to the broad array of innovative and sustainable packaging designs in this category, this year the judges have split up the winners into the following categories:

• Recycled Content

• Labelling

• Mono Material Advancements

• Renewable Materials

• Compostables

"Sustainability, extended producer responsibility, circular economy... these are the watchwords of our industry, bearing the strongest influence on packaging choices made by packaging technologists, designers and converters who are working in collaboration with brand owners to meet their mutual sustainability commitments," said PKN managing editor & publisher Lindy Hughson, who was co-host of the 2023 PIDA awards.

"We are seeing the rapid development of new material technology to support and advance recyclability or compostability, and the emergence of innovation that enables the reduction of materials, and or the reuse of the packaging itself."

And the winners are...

The Bronze winner was Dulux 50 per cent rPP Paint and Lid by Pact Group and Dulux Group , while the Silver winner was Banrock Station Eco Bottle by Accolade Wines .

Topping the category with the Gold was Coles Finest Carbon Neutral Steak Vacuum Packaging by Coles Group and Plantic Technologies .

About the Gold winner:

In April 2022, Coles became the first major Australian supermarket to launch a certified Own Brand Carbon Neutral Beef range.

Available in all Coles stores, the product range is certified carbon neutral from paddock to shelf to the Australian government’s Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard.

The PLANTIC RV tray is manufactured using modern technology where locally sourced Recycled PET, is c ombined with the renewable sourced, high barrier PLANTIC HP sheet. The vacuum tray s made from 70 per centrecycled PET and 20 per cent renewable starch. The LCA study shows that the use of the Plantic packaging will reduce C02 emissions by approximately 13,998kgs, or equivalent to planting 1924 trees when compared to traditional oil-based virgin plastics. Additionally, the use of recycled PET in this product line is equivalent to approximately 273,865 600ml PET water bottles.

During the design process the pack size and weight was reduced, achieving a physical size reduction of 26 per cent and a weight (g) reduction of 28 per cent per pack in comparison to the original pack design. This change resulted in a weight saving of approximately 1.4MT of material since the launch. This modification allowed the product to remain the same in size and weight. This meant that the overall product to packaging ratio increased by 14 per cent. The choice of a linerless label that easily separates from the top film and tray reduces excess material usage.

Each primary unit is packed into a cardboard carton which is fully recyclable via Coles back of house recycling system, contains 74 per cent recycled fibres and is PEFC certified.

The tray is kerbside recyclable. During the recycling process, the thin starch layer uniquely washes away, allowing the PET tray to be recovered. The secondary and tertiary packaging components are recyclable via Coles back of house recycling stream.