Recent research conducted by European sustainability solutions organization, Denkstatt, found packaging to be the most vital component for reducing food waste. They claim that quality packaging “prevents food spoilage, ensures food quality, increases shelf life, and informs customers on how to store packaged food.”
Denkstatt analyzed various samples from Austrian food retailers and found solid evidence to support these claims. They found that with modifications to package design, waste from distribution of sirloin steak was reduced from 34% to 18% and waste from bread products decreased from 11% to 0.8%.
When it comes to food packaging, corrugated supports food safety. As noted in an earlier blog post, Scientific Research Shows How Corrugated Packaging Stops Bacteria, research from the University of Bologna found evidence for corrugated containers being the most effective in keeping fruit and vegetables fresh for up to three days longer than other types of packaging. Beyond freshness, corrugated containers were also found to have the unexpected effect of stopping the spread of bacteria. Bacteria and other microorganisms can become trapped in the fibers within the container. Once trapped, bacteria is unable to reach water and nutrients and dies before spreading to food.
Based on the increasing amount of scientific research, corrugated is the smartest choice in packaging for food retailers. Corrugated containers decrease waste and spread of bacteria, and increase freshness and customer satisfaction!
