packaging

• manufacturers use different materials to package food and each material has its own benefits
• plastic is transparent, lightweight and can be shaped to the food
• paper is lightweight, can be printed on and is biodegradable
• glass is transparent, heat resistant, gives food a long shelf life and is reusable
• metal is heat resistant and gives food a long shelf life ie tins
• choosing suitable packaging reduces waste food because it:

  • protects food from being damaged while its being transported, displayed and stored
  • preserves the food and stops contamination from bacteria and pests
• excess packaging is used to make a product look more appealing to a customer to buy it
• manufacturing the materials for packaging uses lots of energy and natural resources - some of which are non renewable
• packaging often gets used once, thrown away and then just takes up space in landfill sites
• some packaging, like plastics, takes a long time to biodegrade and could take up space in landfills for decades
• packaging adds to the weight of a product, so heavier materials such as metals and glass take lots of energy to transport them
• litter is hazardous to animals too - eg marine animals can be entangled in plastics or eat it by mistake
• recycling uses much less energy than manufacturing new packaging, so we should always recycle tins, glass, card and paper
• most plastics can be recycled too, if in doubt, the labels on plastic packaging can tell you whether or not you can recycle it
• to reduce impact, buy products with little or no packaging and refuse ones with excess packaging
• choose products with biodegradable packaging or packaging made from recycled materials
• you should carry food in reusable shopping bags to reduce the need for plastic bags