How do you find the sweet spot for optimum packaging design and reduce food waste at the same time?

In today’s episode, Jayne Gallagher is in conversation with Nerida Kelton the Vice President Sustainability & Save Food, for the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) and the Executive Director for the Australasian Institute of Packaging (AIP). It’s no wonder that Nerida is a keen advocate for safe food packaging, bringing a wealth of experience, with 26 years in the industry under her belt.

Specifically, Jayne and Nerida talk about five key functional criteria categories for saving food packaging; these include:

1) Design to contain and protect food.

2) Design to preserve and extend shelf life.

3) Design to provide consumer convenience.

4) Design to communicate with consumers.

5) Design to balance food and packaging waste targets.

Within this conversation you can also hear about:

• The unintended consequences of food waste when reducing packaging as the primary goal. Packaging has a vital role in protecting, containing, preserving, and transporting food to households. Without it, this would not be possible.

• Preservation and extension of shelf life through transportation, distribution and innovative packaging.

• Safe food packaging design guidelines for businesses.

Nerida is extremely proud of the fact that the AIP now lead the way as one of the global packaging experts. Packaging's role in minimising food waste is an important part of improving and promoting global collaboration.

Resources of interest for our listeners include:

Save Food Packaging Criteria and Framework – Final Report

https://endfoodwaste.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2402_Final-Report-121-2024-for-publishing-website.pdf

Rethink Packaging Design: Use Less, Use Longer and Use Again - Article

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rethink-packaging-design-use-less-longer-again-nerida-kelton-maip/

AIP’s commitment to Fighting Food Waste and Food Loss

https://aipack.com.au/fight-food-waste/

Educational resources and training

https://aipack.com.au/education/aip-education-overview/

Joining the AIP

https://aipack.com.au/join-the-aip-link-to-membership-application-pdf/

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, whose passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox works with fishers, farmers and small food businesses to help them find and sell to their perfect customers – people who will buy without questioning the price. Find out more at https://www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia, which is leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To learn more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future, please visit https://⁠www.endfoodwaste.com.au⁠.