Tuesday, 09 March 2021
Food and drink manufacturers in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire are being urged to take advantage of free advice about the latest developments in sustainable packaging ahead of new regulations which are expected to come into force in two years.
Reform of the UK packaging EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) system is likely to be introduced in 2023, along with a Plastic Packaging Tax – and experts at the Food Innovation Centre say that now is the time to look into the sustainable packaging options that are available.
The Food Innovation Centre, based at the University of Nottingham, has drafted a fact sheet on the subject to help food and drink manufacturers in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire choose the sustainable packaging that best suits their products.
“Packaging offers many essential functions such as protection, containment, preservation, information and branding,” explained Dr Daniele D’Agostino, research fellow at the Food Innovation Centre.
“It’s an essential part of modern retailing. Without packaging, goods' choice could be reduced, as could quality, freshness, shelf-life, and convenience.
“However, the total volume of packaging in the UK economy has grown enormously, representing a significant proportion of the domestic waste stream. Consumers have become aware of the issues surrounding waste, single-use packaging, and plastic pollutions and are demanding more sustainable solutions. Hence, packaging manufacturers and retailers face the challenge of preserving and enhancing packaging functionality while reducing its volume, increasing the amount reused or reprocessed, and developing more sustainable products.”
Daniele and the team at the Food Innovation Centre have worked with a range of SMEs in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to offer advice on ways to introduce sustainable packaging, including most recently a tea company and a food delivery business.
“Consumers are asking for a reduction in packaging and more sustainable options, so it makes good business sense to cut the environmental impact of packaging, as well as being the ethical thing to do,” said Daniele.
“If you start looking at the sustainable options available now and you know that in the future you want to switch to a more sustainable choice, you can incorporate any additional costings into your business plan.”
The fact sheet drafted by the Food Innovation Centre outlines the pros and cons of some of the key packaging materials used by the food and drink sector, such as glass, metal, paper and cardboard, plastic, composite and bio-plastic.
Experts at the centre can elaborate on the options available and their suitability for different food and drink. They are offering free bespoke sustainable packaging advice and support to eligible SMEs under the Driving Research and Innovation project - a three-year project that runs until the end of December 2022. Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) via the D2N2 LEP, the project is run by the Food Innovation Centre at the University of Nottingham School of Biosciences, in conjunction with the Chemistry Innovation Laboratory in the School of Chemistry and Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and in association with the Midlands Engine. It is a unique collaboration project that provides free specialist innovation support to small and medium-sized businesses.
Our role is to support food and drink SMEs in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire with a range of expertise to help them grow and develop. Sustainable packaging is high on the environmental agenda and we are delighted that Daniele D’Agostino, who is an expert in sustainable packaging, is part of our team offering help to local food and drink manufacturers.
For more information about the Food Innovation Centre and to get in touch with experts who can help, visit https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/biosciences/facilities/food-innovation-centre.aspx
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More information is available from Richard Worrall on richard.worrall@nottingham.ac.uk
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About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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