How Can We Reduce the Use of Packaged Products?

The Association for Sustainable Production and Consumption discusses how we can reduce packaged product purchases and become planet-friendly consumers.

When we buy packaged products, we are actually purchasing both the contents and the packaging, creating double negative impacts on our wallets and the planet. Let us reduce our impact on energy, water and raw material consumption while keeping money in our pockets. Let us pay attention to packaging when making purchases with this call, the 15th European Waste Reduction Week made statements. The European Waste Reduction Week, a high-stakeholder participation initiative and the largest campaign aimed at increasing waste prevention awareness in daily life, is being held this year on 18-26 November 2023 under the theme "Packaging: Stop Buying Packaged Products," according to Istanbul Technical University Faculty Member and Chairman of the Association for Sustainable Production and Consumption (SÜT-D) Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu; packaging is necessary for storing products, transporting them, presenting them to consumers, and preserving the quality of contents and ensuring hygiene in most cases during consumption. However, there are actions that consumers and industry must take regarding packaging. Because packaging, from its production through its useful life and most importantly when it becomes waste, causes environmental pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss—three urgent crises facing our planet—thereby damaging terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and our lives. Let us become planet-friendly consumers by learning how to reduce packaged product purchases. When we buy packaged products, we are actually purchasing both the contents and the packaging, creating double negative impacts on our wallets and the planet. Let us reduce our impact on energy, water and raw material consumption while keeping money in our pockets. We call on consumers to pay attention to packaging when making purchases.

Double negative impact on the planet and our pockets

SÜT-D Chairman Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu stated: "Packaging is important for products to reach consumers without loss of quality and for sales appeal and advertising. Wood, glass, paper, cardboard, metal, and plastic packaging provide product protection and hygiene in most cases. Some packaging includes protective materials inside. Multiple layers of packaging are often used, and there is excess in fancy packaging. All of it is raw material consumption. All of it is energy consumption. All of it is water consumption. All of it is cost. All of it becomes waste once its function ends. If waste is not managed properly, it all means soil and sea pollution, all means climate change, all means loss of biodiversity, all means increasing negative impacts on the planet. The consumer actually buys two products, in other words both the contents and the packaging, creating double impact on their wallet and the planet," providing information that according to recent data, the European Union generated 79.3 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2020, while single-use packaging waste increased more than 20 percent in the last decade. He emphasized the frightening figures showing that this value is projected to increase 19 percent by 2030 and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions will be 66 million tonnes.

Consumers reducing packaging and managing waste

Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu stated: "Consumers can begin contributing to packaging reduction and waste management by developing a shopping culture that evaluates both the product and packaging together when making purchases. Products with excessively attractive packaging that adds material beyond protecting the product, and multiple-layer packages should not be preferred. Because multi-material fancy packages actually create multi-fold damage to the planet. Consumers must read labels to learn about the packaging contents and how much is made from recycled waste. Our preference should be for packaging and wrapping that is adequately functional. Refillable packaging products should be prioritized. Consumers should also be well informed about options to purchase products in their own containers. In this way, reduction in packaged product purchases and planet-friendly consumption and sustainable living can be achieved," and added that "We must absolutely separate-collect our waste packaging to ensure it gains value in the circular economy."

Ecodesigned packaging and its waste

Dr. Karaosmanoğlu stated: "While the packaging industry creates employment and income in the economy, ecodesign must be implemented in packaging lifecycle management, meaning environmental impacts and resource efficiency must be considered together in the packaging development process. Ecodesign is "all actions taken in product development aimed at minimizing the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire lifecycle without compromising basic product criteria such as performance and cost," and through ecodesign, easily recyclable packaging is produced while the amount of recycled components in packaging is also increased, which can be achieved in the circular economy. Our industry should target ecodesigned packaging and strict monitoring of the packaging waste management process," drawing attention to these issues, and stated that "brands, alongside market share, should take pride in ecodesigned packaging that is circular economy-friendly without engaging in greenwashing."