Protecting the product and avoiding waste
High-quality brands require packaging that is capable of fulfilling a number of different functions. The packaging must guarantee that the product remains intact and in a hygienic condition, protect it during transport and storage, and permit easy dispensing and use. In addition, it should provide sufficient space for consumer information. For cosmetic products in particular, but also for laundry detergents and adhesives, the packaging and its design are important factors influencing the purchasing decisions of consumers.
The packaging of our branded consumer products becomes household waste after use. Throughout the Company, therefore, we follow three principles – prevention, reduction, recycling. In concrete terms, this means:
- Reducing the volume of packaging and the raw materials used
- Reducing the variety of packaging materials: using the same materials for different
types of packaging - Use of recyclable materials
- Informing customers and consumers about the recyclability of the materials used
- Taking back and reusing packages
We work together closely with our suppliers and customers to reduce packaging volumes at all stages. Returnable packaging systems in the form of reusable transport containers and secondary packaging, for example, are available for our industrial customers. Transport packaging is designed so that pallets and containers can be packed as efficiently as possible in terms of volume and weight. However, the requirements of transport safety and transport capacity utilization may impose limits on reductions in transport and secondary packaging. The packaging materials we use must be sturdy enough to ensure that our products are not damaged during transport, and that our trucks and freight cars can be optimally loaded in terms of volume and weight.
Furthermore, intelligent packaging design reduces the volume of packaging waste for consumers. To reduce the volume of packaging waste for customers and consumers, product developers in all our business sectors strive continuously to use less material without compromising quality and stability. Overall, we have been able to halve the volume of our packaging material in Germany since the 1980s.
When optimizing product packagings, even small steps can have a major impact. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, for example, our Persil Megaperls laundry detergents are sold in packs for 20, 35 or 50 machine loads to meet the needs of consumers and different household sizes. The 20-wash load pack accounts for 90 percent of all sales. Up to now, this pack size has been offered in cartons and in plastic pouches. An analysis of the packaging materials used showed that the plastic pouch required 80 percent less packaging material than the carton pack. As a result, all Persil Megaperls packs in Germany, Austria and Switzerland were switched to plastic pouches. Through this measure, we save some 1,100 metric tons of packaging material per year.
We also work to progressively increase the proportion of our packaging that can be recycled. We use materials for which public recycling systems exist so that our customers can recycle packaging more easily.
Biological and degradable
Bioplastics are in many ways more environmentally compatible than conventional plastics. They cut the consumption of mineral oil, and in most cases they are largely biodegradable under ideal conditions. In view of the increasing mineral oil prices and the associated higher production costs, these packaging materials could also offer attractive economic advantages in the long term. We therefore regularly test options for using bioplastics as packaging materials. Unfortunately, none of them has yet satisfied the high demands we make on our packaging materials.
One problem encountered here is the limited life of bioplastics. For cosmetic products, we guarantee a shelf life of three years in addition to the period of use. Up to now, no bioplastic has been able to meet this requirement. Technical aspects such as formability and rigidity also need to be improved. Disadvantages in terms of appearance and elevated costs will also have to be overcome before bioplastics can be used as packaging materials. We will continue to follow developments in this sector and actively seek suitable materials and applications.