Making environmental statements and claims can be a very powerful marketing tool. Companies are increasingly using environmental statements and claims in an attempt to differentiate themselves from others. Claims come in a wide range of forms including statements about sustainability, recycled material content, recycling and also environmental impacts of a product. Sellers realise that end consumers today have an increased awareness of the environmental impact that packaging has. Environmental claims are now becoming a standard message on packaging, courier bags, ecom bags and general packing. Many consumers are considering environmental claims as part of the buying decision, It is essential that consumers are provided with factual information so informed decisions can be made. Businesses which make environmental claims should ensure that their claims are, accountable, transparent, accurate and validated by a third party. End consumers rely on any environmental claims made and they expect these claims to be truthful, not false or misleading. Any false or misleading claims is breaking the law. Retail businesses must perform due diligence.

You are in safe hands with Bluprint. Enviro 80 is produced using 80% post consumer waste PE and has been endorsed by a global third party accreditation company, we take our recycle content claim with the up most importance.

The term biodegradable doesnt mean anything because everything is biodegradable eventually. Legislation in the USA forbids the term ‘biodegradable’ to appear on any product unless that product is shown to break down into elements in nature within 5 years. The problem is, in Australia regular plastic bags are being labelled ‘Biodegradable’. This misleads consumers to think these bags are made from plant matter and will return to nature which isn’t always the case. In Australia we allow companies to use the term ‘Biodegradable’ without proof, this issue is being challenged and companies will need to provide transparency, evidence and will be held accountable for any claims.

Compostable confusion

A group has been working with recycling organisations to survey shops’ anonymous responses to public anxiety about plastic polluting the oceans.

Its spokeswoman, Libby Peake, told BBC News: “A lot of shops are selling packaging described as biodegradable or compostable.

“In fact the items might only be composted in an industrial composter – and, even then, some items might not be fully digested.”

The report says: “Over 80% of consumers think biodegradable or compostable plastic is environmentally friendly, but there is little understanding of what the terms mean and how the material should be dealt with.

“Our interviewees wanted a clearer approach to where it should be used and how it should be marked to avoid confusing consumers and potentially causing more problems.”

The retailers worried that confusion could potentially harm the environment if people either put “compostable” plastic in with conventional plastic, or littered it, wrongly assuming it would biodegrade like an apple core.

Some companies that had tried using this type of plastic also suggested that the material did not degrade as expected in real world conditions.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51040155

The perception of flexible packaging

https://packagingeurope.com/alternatives-to-plastics-more-questions-than-answers/

https://www.miragenews.com/recycling-of-soft-plastics-at-coles-increases-by-32-per-cent/

https://www.european-bioplastics.org/eu-takes-action-against-oxo-degradable-plastics/

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/08/13/pms-20m-plan-to-boost-domestic-recycling/