Is Sustainable Packaging Worth It?
The impact we have on the environment is becoming a more common conversation in our society, such as whether we drive or walk and whether we turn off the lights when we leave the room. This sort of discussion doesn’t have to be limited to our homes. The effect we have on our surroundings can also apply to takeaway businesses too.
More people and businesses are becoming conscious about their behaviour and are focusing on becoming more environmentally friendly, and this can include the packaging that they choose to use. Takeaway food packaging provides greener alternatives that are less harmful to the environment, making your business more appealing to some customers. This is because more people are looking at what eco-friendly practices an establishment uses and whether they will choose a more sustainable takeaway business to purchase food from.
But are sustainable products more expensive? Some businesses believe that serving their takeaway products in high-quality, sustainable packaging will cost them more money and therefore lower their profits. However, non-sustainable equivalents can release harmful toxins into the environment when left in landfills or can harm marine plants and animals when discarded into the ocean, leading to detrimental damage.
When investing in products from sustainable food packaging companies, there are hidden savings that you can benefit from. Regardless of the cost of sustainable takeaway food packaging, the benefits it can have on the environment outweighs the price, and using the top eco-friendly takeaway packaging products can help to reduce the carbon footprint of your business.
What is Sustainable Packaging?
Sustainability is becoming more important as people become more aware of the impact plastic has on the environment, but what does sustainable packaging mean?
To put it simply, sustainable packaging is anything that can be used to wrap or contain items whilst being environmentally friendly. It is made to reduce the damage that packaging can have on the environment whilst still containing products like their plastic counterparts can, and it doesn’t help to reduce the number of natural resources we have access to.
There are several ways in which packaging can do this. For example, it may be made using raw materials like plants, or it may be reused in the home or within a business. Also, the materials can be recyclable, which will reduce the amount of waste being released into the environment and instead allows it to be remade into something useful. Some brands make sure to promote the recycled materials that are being used to produce food packaging, such as bottles being manufactured using a percentage of recycled plastic.
Albiz have a range of sustainable takeaway food packaging, such as the eco-friendly burger box range which is perfect for a takeaway business. Whether you want recyclable, biodegradable or compostable food packaging; Albiz have a variety of options for you to choose from to suit the needs of you and your business.
Is Sustainable Food Packaging More Expensive?
When looking into the packaging you should use for your takeaway business, you are likely to find that there is an increase in price for eco-friendly food packaging in comparison to their less sustainable counterparts. A lot of businesses mention that the price of environmentally friendly food packaging is one of the main reasons why they continue to use less green alternatives.
This higher price for sustainable packaging could be for many reasons, such as the materials being used to make the packaging, how much it takes to transport the packaging and if there is a shortage of materials required for the manufacturing process.
It is worth bearing in mind, however, that the price of eco-friendly packaging doesn’t deter everyone from products. 57% of UK adults will gladly spend more money on their purchases to guarantee that the packaging it comes in is eco-friendly. This can also apply to takeaway businesses, and your customers can be happy to pay extra money if your food packaging is sustainable.
Are Eco-Friendly Materials Cheaper?
The materials used to make eco-friendly packaging can be cheaper than plastic alternatives. As they are made from raw materials, there is no shortage of supplies needed to make the finished product. Also, if the packaging is designed effectively, it can be continually reused, meaning less money is spent on manufacturing. This is specifically applicable when compared to single-use packaging, which cannot be reused and instead must be replaced.
Not only this, but making the packaging will cost less because it is eco-friendly. This is because fewer materials are needed to make the product and the manufacturing process isn’t as extensive when the packaging is environmentally friendly.
For example, the Kraft food boxes from Albiz are made from eco-friendly materials, meaning they are less expensive to manufacture and can be recycled at a later date after being served to your customers. Using products such as this is just one of the ways you can make your business eco-friendly.
Ultimately, is eco-friendly packaging more expensive? The short answer is yes.
However, sustainable packaging is expensive because it isn’t in as high a demand as non-sustainable alternatives. As it is cheaper to make, environmentally friendly packaging could become cheaper for purchase if it became a more desired product within the market.
Not only will using greener food packaging be beneficial for the environment, but you can also help to make it a more common staple within takeaway businesses and therefore increase the demand for it from manufacturers. This can help to make sustainable packaging more affordable and its plastic equivalents more expensive, making greener solutions within the food packaging and takeaway industries more frequent. It can also help you to gain more customers too, as more eco-minded people search for those greener businesses to use and remain loyal to.
Eco-friendly packaging is more expensive, but you can help to change that.
For more information about sustainable food packaging, take a look at why you should use recyclable bags within your takeaway business.