Which characteristics do Italians look in a packaging for?

Paper is increasingly at the center of the Food and Beverage sector due to its intrinsic characteristics. This material, in fact, can define a natural, biodegradable and recyclable product. All these features are perfect for cellulose-based packaging to be used in contact with food. In the next paragraphs we will evaluate the consequences related to the use of packaging with respect to food waste, especially given the increase in sales from e-commerce and food delivery. Food waste in a pandemic: the numbers Food waste is still one of the most common problems related to the welfare society. An estimated 3,624,973 tons of food were wasted in 2020. However, despite the boom in e-commerce and food delivery, there is a decrease of 11% nationally, given by Waste Watchers 2021 on the occasion of the eighth day against food waste. The greater awareness has led the consumer to implement strategies that also involve packaging, which today becomes a faithful ally in the fight against waste. Paper and cardboard in the consideration of consumers Paper and cardboard play a fundamental role in the preferences of Italians because they combine safety and sustainability. The Waste Watchers report we cited earlier demonstrated how our fellow citizens have implemented strategies that have helped limit food waste. The situation of uncertainty and the restrictions imposed on circulation have changed spending habits with more prudent and conscious choices, including that of favoring efficient and sustainable packaging. Packaging of paper and cardboard: how innovation allows the transport and storage of food The paper industry sector has always worked to develop innovative products, so that increasingly high-performance solutions can be obtained that offer safety and sustainability performance. This concept led to a study conducted by Comieco, the National Consortium for the Recovery and Recycling of Cellulose-Based Packaging, and by the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna of Pisa. The study showed that innovative materials such as nanocellulose offer perfect preservation guarantees and a high degree of recyclability. These features allow for great application possibilities. The food packaging scenario, based on the goals achieved, is destined to change and transform itself in an increasingly sustainable and circular perspective. In particular, at the heart of the development of new solutions is the series of products for food delivery. This segment has experienced a boom in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. This impulse has accelerated already evolving processes and encouraged the realization of new projects. From doggy bags to pizza cartons, passing through food bags, paper and cardboard are confirmed in first place in consumer preferences. According to a study by Two Sides, Packaging in the eyes of the European consumer, 2020, paper and cardboard are confirmed the top choice of European consumers: the latter have declared that they absolutely prefer this material for its sustainability and ease of recycling. CART-ONE, thanks to the experience and know-how consolidated over time, is your trusted partner for the production of customized packaging for the Food sector. Discover our innovative proposals for sustainable cardboard packaging.

One of the "hottest" topics of the last period is certainly that concerning the prospects of recycling and recovery of packaging. If at first the COVID-19 pandemic had beneficial effects on the environment, over time this result could easily be compromised by the production of new non-recyclable waste: we are obviously talking about disposable masks and plastic gloves, often abandoned on the street after use. Once again, it is therefore necessary to rethink our lifestyles, in order to benefit the environment and the entire community. What is sustainable packaging? Sustainable packaging is not just a recyclable packaging, but a product conceived and designed by saving on the material used to favor its recycling and recovery fiber through specific actions, which can represent various advantages in terms of environmental protection and savings in productive processes. From the consumers' point of view, paper and glass are considered the best packaging: taking advantage of this consideration, it is necessary to encourage their recovery and recycling. In particular, paper is recognized, at the level of general perception, precisely for its sustainability, recyclability and biodegradability (Considerations from a survey by TwoSides and OnePool). Why is it important to support paper recycling? Paper, like cardboard, has an intrinsic value, being a natural product of plant origin, but it also has its own value linked to the ability to recycle. The percentage recovered, in fact, reserves most of the forest and manage the green heritage in a sustainable manner. The commitment made by companies, but also by ordinary citizens, for the recovery of paper, has been significant up to now: thanks to the actions undertaken by Conai and Comieco, it has gone from being importers of paper to be recycled to exporters. The paper recycling in Italy: where we are? Italy has reached an important milestone at European level, boasting the second place for per capita recycling rate. If only one in three packaging was recycled in the 1990s, today the percentage has risen to 71%, of which we distinguish 81% relating to cardboard packaging alone. With these so important estimates, which bring us close to the 85% threshold (goal to be achieved by 2030 according to European directives), it is clear that we must not only act in terms of sustainable recycling, but also in the design of low environmental impact packaging. The packaging design must not only be recyclable, but it must be designed to be recycled: in this way it will also be possible to promote the improvement of the quality of the recovered waste. Separate collection must be thought for all recyclable materials, for the functioning of the supply chain. In this sense, especially for polylaminate materials, which combine plastic materials with paper, it is necessary to offer the consumer clear and simple indications on how to separate and dispose of this type of packaging. More and more often we talk of "talking packaging", which can offer all the information necessary for proper recycling, even using the most modern technologies, such as the augmented reality app developed by Conai in partnership with Tecnoalimenti. But Italy is also at the forefront in terms of strategies and techniques for recovering polylaminate packaging. Another goal to be achieved is the ability to deepen and further specialize separate waste collection through the division between paper and cardboard compared to beverage containers or other similarly made containers. By acting in this way, logistic routes can be differentiated and waste sent to specialized centers for treatment and recycling. EcoDTool the new Conai project for sustainable design Conai promoted the EcoDtool project to encourage the search for a sustainable packaging design. It is a scientific instrument of simplified analysis that measures the environmental impact. The factors taken into account are energy and water consumption and production-related CO2 emissions. The second phase concerns training, which through the study of the packaging life cycle and improvement actions promotes its sustainability. Finally, two other very important factors are introduced in the end of life, which take into consideration the secondary raw material that can be generated based on the variation of a circularity indicator that refers to reused, recyclable and recycled content. In this sense, CART-ONE has adopted a supply chain that favors the production and minimization of waste through processes that minimize the environmental impact and that adopt solutions for the recycling of production waste.

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.