Sustainable Packaging Redefined - Case Study Example

 Table of Contents Introduction 2 A Brief Analysis of the Key Identified Packaging Issues 3 A Brief Overview of the Aspect of Innovation in the Issue of Packaging 6 Conclusion 11 References 12 Introduction The aspect of packaging is one of the significant factors that pose noteworthy effect upon the environment. This method is widely favorable, secured and healthy for every individual as well as community. Moreover, the conception of the method possesses various crucial facets that eventually assist the business organizations to attain maximum competitive position. In this connection, the process enables the business organizations to boost their sales along with increasing and enhancing their brand or product reputation (Lewis, Fitzpatrick, Verghese, Sonneveld, & Jordon, 2007). The idea of packaging is fundamentally defined as an amalgamation of science, technology and art that is mainly executed for protecting the various products during the phase of distribution, sales and storage. Its ultimate target is to diminish various ecological wastes along with preserving major environmental resources by utilizing the diverse constituents of packaging such as the factors of reusing, recycling and reducing. All these significant elements of packaging generally work together for the intention of reducing along with preserving various ecological wastes and resources respectively (Levy, 2000). The paper broadly aims towards a clear and deeper understanding regarding one of the sustainable environmental issues related to packaging along with the several disadvantages that it poses to the environment as well as business organizations. Furthermore, the aspect of innovation in environmental aspect of packaging will also be portrayed in the discussion. A Brief Analysis of the Key Identified Packaging Issues The factor of packaging imposes adverse effects upon the environment through number of significant reasons. The most important fact is that it is generally not biodegradable and as a result it contributes largely towards releasing greenhouse gases that eventually leads towards causing global warming. It has been observed that every product along with the production system and packaging possess certain unfavorable consequences upon the environment. It generally exhausts the natural resources and contributes largely upon creating significant quantity of wastes (Marsh & Bugusu, 2007). In this connection, for the purpose of defending the environment, it is very much essential to look into the matter that the wastes are kept at a minimum level during designing as well as packaging the products. Moreover, it is also very much necessary to recycle and to make best possible use of the waste materials that might help in money saving along with safeguarding the environment by a considerable level. The other significant effect of it upon the environment is that the business organizations often use large amount of paper for the intention of safeguarding their various products. This particular fact signifies that due to the large utilization of paper that is made by the business organizations, especially the trees are dyeing considerably which poses extreme unpleasant effect upon the environment (Marsh & Bugusu, 2007). Thus, it can be collectively stated that the major adverse effects because of the aspect of packaging upon the environment include the factor of biodegradability, release of greenhouse gases and large utilization of paper that ultimately lead towards causing environmental pollution along with global warming to a large extent. Apart from the adverse consequence of packaging upon the green environment, the business organizations also face certain problems with the process relating to various products. In this context, the business organizations have to make huge capital expenditures or large capital investments for the purpose of packaging their products. In other words, it can be stated that the process involves huge costs and the business organizations have to bear the large packaging costs while operating their business functions (Marsh & Bugusu, 2007). The other key recognized issue is regarding the utilization of plastics while packaging the products that leads towards the emergence of harmful chemicals such as acetaldehyde and polyethylene among others. The effect of plastic packaging is widespread due to the fact that it poses negative impact upon the environment as well as upon the public health. It has been apparent that the plastic which is used during the packaging procedure generally consumes longer time to biodegrade and is also not possible to recycle for future use. These two vital factors regarding the aspect of plastic packaging i.e. non biodegradable as well as non recyclable eventually poses foremost peril towards the environment (Marsh & Bugusu, 2007). In this regard, according to the International Plastics Task Force, the emergence of the waste materials through plastic generally breakdowns and releases various unhygienic and toxic substances that severely create harm to the environment. The adverse consequences of plastic can largely be viewed in the environment. It has been observed that at times children play with the leftover plastic bags that can cause major health related problems along with affecting upon the environment (Marsh & Bugusu, 2007). A Brief Overview of the Aspect of Innovation in the Issue of Packaging After experiencing the harmful effects of packaging, it has been recognized that certain crucial innovations were introduced by the different organizations for the motive of raising the growth as well as enhancing the profitability along with attaining competitive position. The aspect of packaging is fundamentally determined as one of the efficient marketing functions of a business organization which eventually creates a major impact upon minds of the customers. In terms of the marketing function, it plays a significant part in determining the success of the products along with sustaining the profitability as well as productivity of an organization (Renton, 2006). In this connection, there lie several packaging innovation techniques for a number of products which might fulfill the requirements as well as the expected business objectives of the organizations. Despite certain harmful effects of packaging upon the environment, human beings and business organizations, certain benefits have been also recognized through this aspect. The most fundamental benefit through using this procedure is regarding the safeguard of the brands or the products. Moreover, it also assists to protect various products that are sold to the ultimate consumers and also it actively supports towards preventing any sort of damages to the products during transportation for the purpose of distributing and storing the goods (Renton, 2006). Furthermore, the conception of packaging can deliver certain information to the customers regarding the contents of the products and also can control the quantity along with the size of the products. This particular controlling function eventually helps the organizations in sustaining their inventory levels, generating product steadiness along with regulating the trade prices of the products. The idea of packaging is usually recognized as a front line conception of marketing. This is due to the fact that this particular process actively assists in selling a particular product along with distinguishing it from other parallel products. In addition, the factor of packaging can help to encourage the facet of product branding. Additionally, another noteworthy benefit is regarding the aspect of security. The security of the different products can be maintained through the idea of packaging. In this context, the conception of packaging supports the organizations to reduce the occurrence of theft of their valuable products along with safeguarding the products from other harmful products (Renton, 2006). From the perspective of various benefits that are attained through the execution of marketing activity of packaging, it has been apparent that certain crucial innovations are formed particularly in packaging different products. The innovations are generally formed for the purpose of increasing the development as well as the profitability of the business organizations. In lieu of this, generating a reusable package would be a crucial packaging innovation especially for the business organizations. The reusable package would attract the customers and can ultimately boost up the sales of the organizations by a certain level along with imposing minimum impact upon the environment (Renton, 2006). For instance, packaging of the products of Johnson & Johnson is done for the customers in a certain way which creates maximum efficiency as well as minimum ecological impact. The company had worked deliberately to diminish the weight of packaging and the energy that is utilized to make and to transport packaging along with increasing the biodegradable and sustainable materials that are used while packaging their valuable products (Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., 2012). The other packaging innovation is regarding the design of the products. Most of the companies greatly focus upon the designs of the products rather than the contents of the products. These companies intend to generate beautiful packaging that would mainly attract their large base of customers which ultimately might raise the productivity as well as the profitability of the companies. The aspect of generating fun packaging products is also regarded as one of the efficient innovations, which is mostly adopted by the organizations. The formation of fun packaging products has been implemented not only for the kids or child related products but also has been initiated for the adult based products. It has been recognized that this particular fun packaging innovation has been embraced especially by the wine industry. The wine related industry greatly makes use of various animals or birds in their wine labels that comprise horses, kangaroos, swans and penguins among others (Renton, 2006). For instance, a reputed and renowned business organization i.e. Napa Wine Company uses an attractive logo of a flying horse in one of its brands of wine. The consumers are very much attracted and prefer largely the brand of Napa Wine Company. The flying horse logo of the business organization is one of the outstanding packaging innovations, which has been initiated by it in order to serve its large base of customers (Napa Wine Company, n.d.) The other packaging innovation is made regarding providing a metallic look of the brands or products. It has been observed that most of the brand labels of certain business organizations are printed upon clear or white materials. However, there are also certain other options which are readily available by using a metallic foil for the brand labels. The use of the metallic foil as an enhanced innovation would be very much striking as compared to the printing that is made upon clear or white materials. This metallic factor would largely attract the customers and generate strong brand image for the company. Another important aspect of innovation packaging lies in focusing of the products upon a specific target audience. For instance, a renowned business organization i.e. Unilever focuses upon its Axe line of products towards a definite target audience. The organization largely focuses its Axe product line upon the customers between the age of 18 and 35 (Pedersen, 2001). The business organizations maintain their quality contents in their products along with initiating the factor of innovation through emphasizing upon their valuable products or brands to definite target audiences (Renton, 2006). Thus, it can be stated that the factor of packaging poses significant affect upon the environment along with the business organizations by a significant level. This aspect along with its broad assortment of quality innovation practices ultimately raise its utmost importance and also contribute largely upon the development and the advancement of the organizations and the communities. Conclusion From the perspective of the business environment, the factor of packaging is very much essential for the purpose of supplying various products that would create greater communal, financial as well as environmental value. Moreover, it is also importantly required due to the fact of complying with several challenges relating to sustainable development. In addition, the aspect of innovation greatly facilitates to progress the business organizations in order to attain their competitive position over their competitors. In terms of the ecological impact, the notion of packaging poses noteworthy effect upon the environment. There are certain crucial fields which should be greatly emphasized upon in order to preserve as well as to attain sustainable advancement through packaging. The certain main areas include minimum generation of wastes, release of smaller quantity of greenhouse gases along with other harmful chemicals, limiting the utilization of plastics, recycling of the waste materials and lowering the cutting of trees. These particular areas need to be highly focused upon for the intention of saving the green environment along with preserving sustainable development in the long-term. Thus, it can be stated that the large conception of packaging along with innovation play a noteworthy role especially towards the green environment as well as the business organizations. The aspect of packaging possesses certain benefits as well as disadvantages and still most of the business organizations view this process as one of their most important functions of business marketing. References Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. (2012). Packaging. Retrieved from http://www.jnj.com/responsibility/ESG/environment/Product_Stewardship/Packaging Lewis, H., Fitzpatrick, L., Verghese, K., Sonneveld, K., & Jordon, R. (2007). Sustainable packaging redefined. Retrieved from http://nbis.org/nbisresources/packaging/sustainable_packaging_guidelines.pdf Levy, G. M. (2000). Packaging, policy, and the environment. US: Springer. Marsh, K., & Bugusu, B. (2007). Food packaging-roles, materials, and environmental issues. Journal of Food Science 72(3), pp.R39-R55. Napa Wine Company. (n.d.). Home. Retrieved from http://www.trnapawineco.com/index.html Pedersen, M. V. (2001). Integrated marketing communications. Retrieved from http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCwQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpure.au.dk%2Fportal-asb-student%2Ffiles%2F36295342%2FBachelor_Mia.docx&ei=jeqYT9W6AcPHrQe__eDMAQ&usg=AFQjCNF3IDPzivOO0ueigv0_B3YgiuLtjA&sig2=VUE5HltuJ-32IDi2mKt4lg Renton, P. (2006). 10 innovative packaging ideas. Retrieved from http://www.packagingconnections.com/downloads/download227_0.pdf Read More