Pro Carton Fact File – Module 1 – Packaging and Society

CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
PACKAGING
AND SOCIETY
THE CARTON PACKAGING FACT FILE

CHOOSE FOLDING CARTONS
CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
WHY DO WE NEED PACKAGING?
Packaging is manufactured in many forms to protect the product throughout transportation and to display the product at
point of sale. Cartons, glass and plastic bottles, sachets, wrappers, plastic and foil containers are all examples of packaging.
The term 'packaging' also includes the materials that are used to minimise damage to products during transport, handling
and distribution such as corrugated cases, shrink wrap and wooden pallets.
Packaging helps to protect the quality of the product throughout its shelf life, especially perishable goods that are also
supported by ‘sell by’ and ‘use by’ date coding on their packaging.
PACKAGING
AND SOCIETY
WHAT ROLE DOES PACKAGING PLAY IN SOCIETY?
Packaging is indispensable in modern society. It allows a multitude of goods to reach the consumer undamaged, in a safe
and hygienic condition and also to communicate important brand and product information. Packaging helps to prolong
shelf life of perishable products and contributes to reduce food waste.
Without packaging it would simply not be possible for consumers to have access to, and use, most of the products, which
are available today.
IS PACKAGING WASTEFUL?
No, packaging protects the product through distribution, display and onto the consumer. The truth is that packaging
prevents waste and can help in extending product shelf life.
The European carton and paper packaging industry is a leading recycler. The European rate for recycling cardboard and
paper packaging is over 84.2% (Eurostat 2018). We are reaching approximately 6.3 closed loops of recycling every year -
Closed-loop recycling is the process by which a product or material can be used and then turned into a new product
indefinitely without losing its properties during the recycling process. (Wikipedia).
PACKAGING HELPS TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE
Food waste or food loss means food that is not consumed. The causes of food waste or loss are numerous and occur
throughout the food chain, during production, processing, distribution, retail and in the home.
Globally, wasted food accounts for about 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions. About a third of all the world's food goes
to waste, and producing, transporting and letting that food rot releases 8-10% of global greenhouse gases.
Food packaging helps prevent waste and therefore helps reduce CO2 emissions. Packaging should be fit for
purpose and provide adequate protection for the product. Production of food generates 10-20 times more CO2 than the
production of packaging material; using packaging to prolong the shelf life of valuable products actively contributes to a
reduction of global greenhouse gases.
THE CARTON PACKAGING FACT FILE
All contents copyright © BPIF 2017.

CHOOSE FOLDING CARTONS
CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
IS PACKAGING EXPENSIVE?
The cost of packaging is only a small proportion of the price of a packed product. The golden rule is: Packaging should
always save more than it costs.
PACKAGING
AND SOCIETY
Cartons, in particular, contribute a very small percentage of the price paid by the consumer at the point of purchase -
2-4% for most products and for some products, such as medicines, less than 0.1%.
Depending on the value of the packed product, the costs of packaging adds typically a low single digit percentage to the
cost of goods sold. The value of protecting the product and prolonging shelf life of the product exceeds the costs
of packaging.
The social costs of packaging also include the environmental impact of the packaging. Cartonboard is produced from
renewable resources and is fully recyclable and biodegradable. Fibres can be recycled more than 25 times and will create
the base for new packaging that is derived from recovered material.
DOES PACKAGING ADD TO CURRENT INFLATION?
Production of packaging material requires raw materials which are traded at fully transparent market prices. Cartonboard
producers source the raw material from sustainably managed local forests with short transportation distances for
raw materials.
Without the benefits of modern packaging, supermarkets could not handle, store and display the range of products they
now offer. Without packaging, the cost of transportation, storage and handling at the point of sale would inevitably rise.
Without protection from packaging the amount of product waste may rise and this would result in higher prices.
So packaging helps to mitigate the impact of inflation.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS OF PACKAGING?
The principle for specifying packaging today is that it should be the minimal amount commensurate with providing
adequate protection for the product and also for the materials used to be fully recyclable.
The total packaging costs are much more than the cost of the primary pack handled by the consumer. In addition to the
cost of the primary pack, the total packaging cost must also include the secondary and tertiary packaging, the storage and
transportation costs and the production cost of the packaging operation. The way in which these different components
interact determines the overall cost of packaging.
THE CARTON PACKAGING FACT FILE
All contents copyright © BPIF 2017.

CHOOSE FOLDING CARTONS
CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
IS CARTON PACKAGING BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?
No, cartonboard and paper are made from wood, a truly renewable and sustainable resource.
Responsible wood, pulp and paper production ensures healthy growing forests that support the ecosystem.
Between 2005 and 2020 European forests grew by 58,390 km 2 , an area larger than Switzerland and equivalent to
1,500 football pitches of forest growth every day. (Two Sides).
Today’s forests and other wooded land in the EU amount to 180 million hectares, making Europe one of the most
forest-rich regions in the world, with more than 42% of its land covered by forests. (Eurostat 2018).
The wood in Europe is sourced from sustainably managed forests. More than 90% of the wood used in European
paper mills comes from EU forests, another 8% comes from forests in Russia and Belarus. Local sourcing of raw
materials is key for a sustainable packaging system.
PACKAGING
AND SOCIETY
WHAT DO THE TERMS PRIMARY, SECONDARY AND TERTIARY PACKAGING MEAN?
Primary Packaging has direct product contact. Primary packaging is the packaging that most closely protects the
product. Primary and secondary packaging overlap in many circumstances, whereas tertiary is more consistent as
the transporter of multiple packs.
Secondary Packaging, as below, combines 10 single batteries per pack into a multipack sales unit: a carton or
sleeve. Secondary packaging is also used for the branding of the product.
Tertiary Packaging is multipack units in a corrugated cardboard box, for onward transportation and distribution.
PACKAGING TERMS
Primary Packaging
Secondary Packaging
Tertiary Packaging
THE CARTON PACKAGING FACT FILE

CHOOSE FOLDING CARTONS
CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
The main raw material resource used in carton manufacture is wood which is naturally renewable. The forests are
sustainably managed to best environmental practices. The paper industry uses respected certification schemes to ensure
that the paper originates from sustainable forest management, through recognised certification schemes such as the
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
PACKAGING
AND SOCIETY
The European paper and cardboard packaging recycling rate has been as high as 84.2%. (Eurostat 2018). There is a practical
theoretical maximum recycling rate which largely depends on the collection rate. Not all cartons are collected and
returned to recycling stations. Some consumers keep cartons at home for storage purposes for many years. The carton
industry has established a credible recycling infrastructure to allow easy recycling of cartons after use, as each carton
collected counts.
The industry's goal is to further raise the bar to achieve a 90% recycling rate by 2030. This will require a disciplined
approach, mainly by retailers and consumers to sort, collect and make all cartons available for recycling after use: the
base requirement for a circular economy system.
The European paper and board industry does not use wood from tropical rain forests. Forests are sustainably managed
following strict guidelines. One key requirement is that for every tree harvested, two to three new trees should be
planted in their place. The European industry has a true interest in promoting the health and sustainablility of all forests.
A GUIDE TO KEY ADVANTAGES OF FOLDING CARTONS FOR FMCG COMPANIES
Product Protection
Graphics
Merchandising
Environment
Premium Look
Ease of Filling
Flexibility of Design
Provision of Information
Transit Efficiency
Cost
Source: Prism 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
THE CARTON PACKAGING FACT FILE
All contents copyright © BPIF 2017.

CHOOSE FOLDING CARTONS
CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
WHAT IS THE “VALUE CHAIN”?
The “value chain” describes all those stakeholders involved in making and using packaging. They are: raw material
providers, such as cartonboard manufacturers; converters, who print cartonboard and make folding cartons; FMCG and
pharma companies, such as the manufacturers of food and other products, who use packaging, including folding cartons;
and retailers and other distributers who provide packaged products to consumers. Other stakeholders are recyclers who
secure collection and sorting of valuable post-consumer carton products as well as political/consumer and environmental
organisations and interest groups.
Cartons follow a circular economy model. The mills receive the post consumer cardboard back from the recyclers to
produce new packaging.
PACKAGING
AND SOCIETY
WHAT IS MEANT BY THE “PACKAGING INDUSTRY”?
The packaging industry includes the manufacturers of packaging materials and the converters who print and make
packaging components. It also includes the suppliers to the industry, the ink and adhesive manufacturers and
machinery suppliers.
Packaging, in terms of its value is one of the most important and leading manufacturing industries, because packaging is
used to deliver food and other products to markets, customers and consumers.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PACKAGING MATERIAL?
The main packaging materials are paper and board, plastics, metals, glass and wood.
Paper and board have key roles in the future of packaging. They accounted for 35.7% of the worlds packaging consumption
in 2016 (Smithers study). Paper and board are the only materials based on a naturally renewable raw material. Driven by
consumer's increasing concern on the environment in recent months/years you see many flexible plastic materials being
replaced by renewable carton packages.
CARTONBOARD
LIFE CYCLE
THE CARTON PACKAGING FACT FILE
All contents copyright © BPIF 2017.

CHOOSE FOLDING CARTONS
CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
WHAT IS THE MAIN ISSUE TO CONSIDER WHEN SPECIFYING PACKAGING?
The main issue in specifying packaging - in other words, choosing the most appropriate packaging for a product - is to
ensure that it is “fit for purpose”. The packaging must fulfil its functions of protecting the product throughout the life
of the product, ensuring a streamlined packaging operation, being efficient in storage and distribution, in providing
product information, displaying features at the point of sale or use, as well as ensuring product and consumer safety,
consumer convenience etc., as is appropriate to the specific product and its market.
The type of packaging therefore differs from product to product. Manufacturers need to prioritise the functions they
need the packaging to achieve in order to choose the most appropriate type of packaging.
Packaging in Europe has to comply with “The Essential Requirements of the European Packaging and Packaging Waste
Directive, 94/62/EC”. Guidance in achieving these requirements is provided by CEN, the European Committee for
Standardisation, in EN 13427: 2004, “Packaging - Requirements for the use of European Standards in the field of
packaging and packaging waste”. This is supported by 5 Standards that refer respectively to Source Reduction
(minimisation), Reuse, Material Recycling, Energy Recovery and Composting & Biodegradation. ISO Standard 14021:1999
provides further guidance on environmental labels and declarations.
Europen has issued “Essential Requirements for Packaging in Europe - A Practical Guide to Using the CEN Standards”.
(http://www.europen.be) Specifiers of packaging are well aware that packaging must be functionally adequate in
providing protection, identification etc., that it must be cost effective and that it should never be excessive or deceptive.
Increasingly Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies use Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to calculate the
environmental impact of packaging material. This is taken from the sourcing of raw materials all the way through to
the recycling process. In most cases packaging material from renewable raw materials following the circular
economy model have an advantage over products with a fossil based origin.
PACKAGING
AND SOCIETY
THE CARTON PACKAGING FACT FILE
All contents copyright © BPIF 2017.

CHOOSE FOLDING CARTONS
CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
WHY CHOOSE FOLDING CARTONS?
Folding cartons are the most versatile of packs in both structural and graphic design, and are used to package an extremely
wide range of products. This is because they meet market needs for protection, they are easy to adapt for a wide range of
products, they are light in weight and disposal and recovery of them is easy.
In addition, they are convenient to handle in production, distribution and merchandising, they have consumer appeal, they
are cost effective and design friendly.
Environmentally friendly packaging must be recyclable, biodegradable and renewable.
PACKAGING
AND SOCIETY
KEY ADVANTAGES OF FOLDING CARTONS:
• Raw materials are come from sustainably managed forests, a renewable resource.
• Fully recyclable and compostable with a credible recycling infrastructure in place.
• Best product protection during transportation.
• Attractive shelf display.
• Their design and graphics lead the way for brand innovation, recognition and attractive shelf display.
• Present consumer information and support digital technology.
• Meet market criteria for performance and cost.
• Have the ability to carry braille for people with vision impairment or low vision.
THE CARTON PACKAGING FACT FILE
All contents copyright © BPIF 2017.

KEY FACTS
CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
Cartonboard and paper-based packaging can be part of a solution against global food waste – which
amounts to as much as 1.3 billion tonnes per annum – between one-third and one-half of food
produced for worldwide consumption.
Efficient packaging helps to reduce damage in transit. It prevents waste through breakage, spoilage,
contamination and extends product shelf life.
On average 90% of European consumers prefer paper/cardboard packaging understanding that it is
better for the environment. (Pro Carton 2021 European Consumer Packaging Perceptions Study).
Packaging provides product and brand differentiation through unique design concepts and carries
legal and other important product information for the consumer.
PACKAGING
AND SOCIETY
THE CARTON PACKAGING FACT FILE
All contents copyright © BPIF 2017.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
CARTON &
BOARD MAKING
Pro Carton would like to thank the following companies for contributing both information and
images to support the creation of these Fact Files:
PACKAGING
AND SOCIETY
THE CARTON PACKAGING FACT FILE
ALL CONTENTS © PRO CARTON & UKFCA LTD. ALL STATISTICS CORRECT UP TO 2021
All contents WWW.PROCARTON.COM
copyright © BPIF 2017.