transit
Form follows function Retailers continue to focus on supply chain efficiencies, requiring transit packaging solutions that offer an easy shelf replenishment process; over time the collaboration between the corrugated industry, producers and retailers led to the development of Shelf Ready Packaging (SRP), and the so-called ‘five easies’ : packaging should be easy to identify (and therefore easily found, for instance, in the back of a supermarket), easy to open (physically easy and with clear instructions), easy to replenish and rotate on shelf, easy for the shopper to see, identify and access the product, and finally it should be easy to flatten and recycle. Corrugated packaging’s form is engineered to meet each required function and SRP provides significant cost savings. With canned foods for example, shelf-refill costs are a third lower for products displayed in SRP than individually. The success of corrugated SRP can be seen most clearly within the discounters. Over 90 per cent of discounters’ products use SRP, compared with only about 40 per cent of non-discounters. Corrugated SRP will continue to evolve with the development of features that allow products to be decanted onto shelf and innovations that ensure consistent front-facing of primary packs. The engineered functionality of corrugated packaging also allows brand owners to develop features that benefit consumers. One example was the cool box developed for bottled beers in conjunction with brewing company Miller. A specially developed waterresistant inner lining was designed to enable the take home pack to double up as an ice bucket in support of the beverage supplier’s Genuine Draft beer brand. Corrugated’s functionality helps reduce food waste and losses. The United Nations estimates that over a billion tonnes of food is wasted or lost globally every year. There is still significant food loss that occurs within the supply chain in high income countries. Corrugated is engineered to ensure protection of products as they pass through the supply chain. It has itself inherent cushioning qualities. Additionally, over the years many
features have been developed to provide further levels of protection. There are tabs and interlocking slots to maintain stability during transport. There are handles to make it easier to carry. There are vents to ensure the circulation of air around the product. Waterproofing techniques have been introduced, both by changing the physical structure of the board and using coatings, meaning that non-renewable solutions for products such as fish can increasingly be replaced by corrugated.
Resource Efficient Corrugated packaging is lightweight yet incredibly strong. It’s made from two sheets of paper glued to fluting material, a layer of paper formed into arches. These provide the strength and enable the lightweight construction important for efficient performance in the supply chain. Modern innovations, such as lightweight papers and new flutings, are offering extremely space-efficient packaging, especially when combined with corrugated’s ability to be tailored precisely to fit the products it carries. This means better use of pallets, resulting in fewer vehicles on the road. In a UK study corrugated packaging achieved the highest space efficiency - 91 to 98 per cent. Another study in Italy showed that 20 kg of oranges, transported from Catania to a family in Milan, will result in CO2 emissions from transport that are 34 per cent lower in corrugated packaging than a competing system. In Germany a review of the total value chain for the transport of tomatoes revealed that overall costs were 13 per cent lower in corrugated packaging than the main alternative. Corrugated packaging’s structure also allows for energy and cost efficient production for manufacturers. In the UK, a leading food manufacturer Premier Foods has reported impressive cost savings and increased productivity at a UK plant following an overhaul of transit and display packaging for its range of branded dried foods. Implementing a corrugated solution has resulted in a 50 per cent increase in throughput and big cost Packaging Europe | 39 |