How to reduce cardboard box costs for the new year

Plastic baskets, punnets and trays, corrugated cardboard bags, packaging with nets and sustainable packaging represent part of the solutions used as packaging in the fruit and vegetable sector. A complex and articulated world bonded to movements to which fresh fruit and vegetables are subjected. There are numerous needs to be met: from transportation to fruit and vegetable companies to point of sales, whether they are wholesale markets or linked to large-scale modern distribution. Whatever the fate of these products, the primary objective is to ensure that they arrive perfectly packed and intact on the shelves of the reference department. Corrugated cardboard for better storage This type of packaging has now reached a market share of 35% and a production of around 600 million pieces per year. Thanks to its high flexibility, both in terms of storage and transport, it is a solution that is well suited to the fruit and vegetable supply chain. A study conducted by the University of Bologna-Department of Agri-Food Science and Technology found that fruit and vegetables, if stored in corrugated cardboard packaging rather than in other types of packaging, have a 20% higher degree of conservation. Read also: Why (it is important) to recycle corrugated cardboard: the benefits Reusable plastic The plastic packaging department is mainly divided into two macro-areas: Disposable plastic trays Plastic returnable trays The second category is in turn represented by reusable plastic packaging at: Folding sides Fixed sides EURepack (European Reusable Packaging & Reverse Logistics Consortium) Active consortium that promotes the spread of reusable packaging to replace "disposable" packaging, highlights how the use of this type of material reduces negative effects on the environment and lowers the costs of transport, thanks to the compact and less cumbersome structure of the boxes. According to the Consortium, moreover, reusable packaging finds its greatest use precisely in the large-scale distribution of the fruit and vegetable chain where the usage index exceeds 50%. Recyclable wood According to Assoimballaggi, the National Association of Wood, Pallet, Cork and Logistics Services Industries, the companies producing wooden crates for fruit and vegetables amount to around 200 in Italy for an annual turnover of around 200 million euros. In the fruit and vegetable sector, the main products are: Bins: used to transport products to storage centers Wooden boxes: for transportation from storage centers to distribution to the end customer. Light or 'disposable' pallets: material that is not reusable due to its construction and structural characteristics, suitable for a single use. The wooden packaging, especially the boxes used to house fruit and vegetables, can be recycled thanks to the nonprofit Consortium Rilegno, born following the Legislative Decree 22/97 (Ronchi Decree) with the aim of directing a correct management of the waste coming from packaging. Recyclable and reusable packaging for the fruit and vegetables sector Although corrugated cardboard represents the primary choice in terms of packaging for the fruit and vegetable sector, thanks to its flexibility of use and better food preservation, we have been able to note that the other types of packaging, plastic and wood, are also increasingly moving towards recyclable and reusable - and therefore eco-sustainable - materials in order to support the environment and reduce production costs. You may be interested in: Food packaging: how and what to do to win customers over

Recently, the decree in force since 2006 regarding packaging labeling has been amended. Since the end of September 2020, Italian manufacturers face penalties for missing or deficient packaging marking. This measure has created quite a few difficulties for the manufacturing and printing sectors, which will have to adapt quickly to the newly imposed regulatory updates. Specifically, the amendment to the decree was implemented following the European directive on the circular economy issued in 2018. Consequently, Legislative Decree No. 116 of September 3, 2020, was promulgated in Italy, coming into force on September 26. What does the new regulation provide for? The main advantage of the new regulation lies in the fact that it should facilitate separate collection, recycling, and recovery, as well as offer consumers clear information on final destinations. However, on a practical level, the new decree establishes that the lack of packaging marking is to be attributed to the manufacturer, and the measure is intended to take immediate effect. This aspect puts packaging manufacturers in a difficult position, as they have not had sufficient time to comply with the regulation and, simultaneously, have not had the time to deplete their stocks and review with their clients how to redesign the packaging. With Legislative Decree No. 116 of September 3, 2020, published in the Official Gazette No. 226 of September 11, 2020, and effective from September 26, 2020, monetary fines were also established for the missing or incomplete transmission of information data. This legislation stems from the need to align with the decisions of the European Parliament and Council to move toward a circular economy. In this way, member states can take action to preserve resources that can be recovered, setting targets to be achieved by 2025, with the recovery of at least over half of municipal waste, while for packaging it is necessary to reach at least the 65% threshold. What are the main changes compared to the past? Compared to past legislation, an amendment has been made to Article 219, which concerns the guiding criteria for the management of packaging waste related to Legislative Decree No. 152 of April 3, 2006. In particular, some words in paragraph 5 have been modified, which in the previous version expressed the following concept: "All packaging must be appropriately labeled in accordance with the procedures established by decree of the Minister of the Environment and Territorial Protection in agreement with the Minister of Productive Activities in compliance with the determinations adopted by the Commission of the European Union, to facilitate the collection, reuse, recovery, and recycling of packaging, as well as to provide correct information to consumers on the final destinations of the packaging. The aforementioned decree shall also prescribe the obligation to indicate, for the purposes of identification and classification of the packaging by the industry concerned, the nature of the packaging materials used, based on Commission Decision 97/129/EC." Subsequently, an implementing decree was never issued that should have specified the times and methods of the new procedures. Since 2006, in fact, reference has always been made to some indications on how packaging should be marked, without ever putting any measure into effect in this regard that could standardize the entire market. Legislative Decree No. 116 of September 3, 2020, now provides that the implementing decree is replaced by the applicable UNI technical standards, in addition to specifying that: “Manufacturers also have the obligation to indicate, for the purposes of identification and classification of the packaging, the nature of the packaging materials used, based on Commission Decision 97/129/EC.” What are the problems resulting from the changes? In the absence of the implementing decree, reference must be made to the applicable UNI technical standards and the obligation to state packaging information to manufacturers, with immediate effect. With the definition of this obligation, administrative sanctions were also introduced for manufacturers violating the rule. All this, however, brings confusion to the packaging world, introducing above all a series of issues to which the government is called to respond more effectively. Indeed, the regulation, as imposed, puts manufacturers in a difficult position who: Have not had the time to deplete their stocks. Have not had the time to modify their systems for this purpose, a task that takes 3-4 weeks, particularly for remaking and approving printing plates and printing the labels themselves. Without the necessary exemptions, would have to remake the packaging for products that require a seasoning period once packaged (e.g., wine and cheeses). Lack a clear and explanatory legend indicating the application symbols. Lack precise indications regarding the size and space requirements of the symbols on the packaging. The reference regulation (EC) 97/129 appears incomplete because it only includes some materials but not all. Lack the time frames to rethink packaging designs already in progress. In this sense, also on Confindustria's initiative, corrective measures have been requested from the Ministry of the Environment to offer printers the opportunity to deplete stocks and adapt printing plants. Negotiations have just begun, with the feedback collected by Confindustria in a document sent on October 14, 2020, through which they want to shed light on the difficulties and critical issues within the sector. Surely, a solution is desirable that allows for a reasonable compromise, leading companies to adapt following certain and defined rules both regarding the production of cardboard packaging and other types. Meanwhile, to obviate the issues explained, Conai has made available a series of guidelines and an operational tool, viewable at e-tichetta.org, with the aim of providing indications for packaging marking. Although made available by a nationally recognized body, the tools proposed by Conai are not yet officially validated by the Ministry. In this regard, the email address epack@conai.org has been set up to offer users the possibility to send their reports and express their doubts. If these tools are used, it is important to inform your customers of their provisional nature. This advice is recommended from the moment the Ministry could request any adjustments and provide new indications, which would require a new adaptation of the printing systems and new costs to be borne.

Packaging is increasingly at the center of consumer choices, even in the food sector. The concern, in fact, is to have containers and packaging that not only effectively protect food, but that are also sustainable. The luck of a product on the shelves, therefore, is even more linked to the packaging, intended as a mix of materials and design from an Eco-design perspective, which allows to obtain the minimization of the packaging for a maximum yield in terms of conservation and freshness of the food. For an industry in the Food sector, not taking into account the new consumer orientations means leaving the market. What is changing in the habits of Italians and how consumer attitudes affect packaging? Italians are increasingly attentive to sustainability, including in the food sector. Consumption is in fact oriented to the deepening of the supply chain and therefore also of the packaging. According to the statistics that emerged from the 2021 edition of the Packaging Observatory of Largo Consumo created by Nomisma in collaboration with SpinLife of the University of Padua, it turned out that 33% of the Italians interviewed showed a greater propensity to assign a primary role to the environment in everyday choices. According to the findings, 65% of respondents prefer products with little packaging. 59% have purchasing habits that direct them towards products with sustainable packaging. 57% of respondents admit they are reducing the purchase of products with non-recycled plastic packaging. What will be the future of packaging in Italy? Sustainable packaging is also becoming an opportunity for consumers to assess the environmental impact of a brand. We know, in fact, that the packaging can be evocative and identifying the product, to the point of transmitting its values ​​only and exclusively through the sight of the package. In this sense, many brands are making efforts through targeted investments to research technologies that reduce the environmental impact of their business and work, at the same time, on the sustainability of packaging. On the other hand, such investments and improvements can cause increases compared to the price of a product. There is therefore still work to be done to give sustainable packaging the right importance in the perception of the consumer, especially as regards communicating the benefits that such actions can have on the environment and on improving the quality of life. CART-ONE, a company specializing in corrugated cardboard packaging, has always been at the forefront to help its partners in the creation of sustainable and recyclable packaging, with an enhancement in the supply chain of recycled raw materials and with a zero waste approach through the recovery of production waste.