Action over excess packaging

As the groundswell of support for an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons urging manufacturers to cut back on excess packaging grows, designers are considering the effect such a move would have on their business.

The Independent newspaper recently launched a campaign encouraging readers to lobby their MPs to support an EDM condemning excess packaging. Today it announced that 112 MPs have so far signed the motion, and that two of them are threatening to table a private members bill calling for the total eradication of unnecessary packaging.

Meanwhile, the Local Government Association is calling for harsher penalties for companies that break an EU directive banning excess packaging.

Martin Grimer, executive creative director of Blue Marlin, said designers should see the looming spectre of tougher packaging laws as an opportunity rather than a threat. ‘It’s about acting smarter about the materials we use – we need more recyclable and compostable packaging,’ he said. ‘Things will always need to be packaged – we just need to be smarter.’

He cited Daylesford Milk, which comes in a wholly biodegradable pouch by Teresa Roviras Design & Creative Consultants, as a prime example of the new breed of Green packaging.