Packaging design is a powerful vehicle for making our lives friendlier, our planet greener and our businesses richer. It is an essential link between the producer and the customer, where it contributes to the positioning and presentation of a product; and on many occasions, the use of the product after purchase. What is missing is a compass that can guide practitioners in the right direction. This is particularly so in the field of packaging where the routes you take may contradict rather than contribute to sustainable development. Managing Packaging Design for Sustainable Development: A Compass for Strategic Directions emphasizes the need to rethink packaging system design, by presenting a strategic packaging design tool; a compass. The compass encourages you to go off-road, to develop and innovate, and to remake the packaging design solution that previously was best practice. Theory and practical applications are balanced by outlining the most crucial tenets of packaging design for sustainability and by illustrating wide range of real-life cases that will inspire and challenge the mindsets of those who apply the compass in packaging design related projects. This is a must-have book for designers, engineers, logisticians, marketers, supply chain professionals and other managers who seek guidance on sustainable solutions through packaging design.

Table of Contents:
Preface iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS viii PART I FUNDAMENTALS OF PACKAGING DESIGN 21 1. Introduction to packaging 25 1.1 Multiple functions of packaging 26 1.2 Packaging legislations and regulations 31 1.2.1 Administrative legislation and regulations 33 1.2.2 Legislation and regulations for protecting the public 33 1.2.3 Legislation and regulations for protecting designs 34 1.2.4 Legislation and regulations for protecting the environment 34 1.3 Packaging Terminology 36 1.4 Packaging as a system 38 1.5 Packaging goes beyond a single discipline 40 1.6 Going multidisciplinary - Packaging Logistics 42 References 46 2. Sustainable development and packaging 49 2.1 Sustainable development goals 50 2.2 Three pillars of sustainable development 53 2.2.1 People 54 2.2.2 Planet 54 2.2.3 Profit 55 2.3 Looking back at the role of packaging 56 2.4 Misconceptions of packaging 59 2.4.1 Overpackaged or underpackaged? 60 2.4.2 Wasteful or useful? 62 2.4.3 How about the R’s in waste hierarchies? 64 2.5 Packaging contributions to sustainable development 66 2.5.1 The reasons for packaging 67 2.5.2 Adding value for people, profit and planet 68 2.6 Packaging contributions to sustainable development for supply chains 70 2.6.1 The research on sustainable supply chains 70 2.6.2 The packaging impact in retail supply chains 72 References 74 3. Designing packaging 79 3.1 The complexity of packaging design 80 3.1.1 Layer one – packaging functions 81 3.1.2 Layer two – the packaging system 81 3.1.3 Layer three – functions and departments within organizations 82 3.1.4 Layer four – between organizations 82 3.1.5 Layer five – end consumers 83 3.1.6 Layer six – distribution channels 84 3.1.7 Layer seven – extending or closing the loop in circular systems 85 3.1.8 Layer eight – time 86 3.2 Challenges of dealing with the complexity 87 3.2.1 Taking a holistic approach to packaging 89 3.2.2 Integrating form and function 91 3.2.3 Making trade-off decisions 93 3.2.4 Sharing the risks and gains 95 3.3 Organizing and managing packaging design 98 3.3.1 Design thinking processes 99 3.3.2 Managing the team 103 3.4 Tools for packaging design 107 3.4.1 Divergent phase tools –identifying needs and generating ideas 109 3.4.2 Convergent phase tools – decision-making support 116 3.4.3 Packaging design software and guidelines 120 3.4.4 Strategic guidance towards sustainable development 122 References 124 PART II A PACKAGING DESIGN COMPASS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 133 4. Introducing the compass 139 4.1 Points of the compass 140 4.2 Users of the compass 141 4.3 How to navigate 142 4.4 The making of the compass – our methodology 144 References 147 5. The directions of the compass 148 5.1 Protection 148 5.2 Material use 151 5.3 Fill rate 153 5.4 Apportionment 155 5.5 User-friendliness 158 5.6 Information and communication 160 5.6.1 Information 161 5.6.2 Communication 163 References 165 PART III PRACTICAL AND ILLUSTRATIVE CASES 167 6. Product protection 173 6.1 Better quality grapes for the people 175 6.1.1 The table grapes packaging system 177 6.1.2 The table grapes supply chain and challenges 179 6.1.3 Supply chain implications 184 6.2 Cheap is not always the best: The citrus box 187 6.2.1 The citrus packaging system 188 6.2.2 The citrus supply chain 188 6.2.3 Key handling activities 189 6.2.4 Challenges in the citrus supply chain 190 6.2.5 Supply chain implications 192 6.3 IKEA Ektorp sofas: Knock-down boxing 196 6.3.1 The previous packaging solution 197 6.3.2 Managing damages 197 6.3.3 Packaging redesign and impacts 198 6.3.4 Concluding remarks – knock-down boxing 200 References 203 7. Material Use 207 7.1 Know and adapt your food packaging material 209 7.1.1 Food protection through packaging 209 7.1.2 Different packaging materials 211 7.1.3 Consumer preferences 214 7.1.4 Packaging technologies for increased shelf life 215 7.2 Can or no can? The Tetra Recart retortable package 222 7.2.1 The package configuration and the redesign 222 7.2.2 The comparison – sustainability implications 226 7.3 Wine in glass or plastic bottles 233 7.3.1 Packaging system 234 7.3.2 Supply chain description 234 7.3.3 From glass to PET 235 7.3.4 Other packaging alternatives 237 7.3.5 Implications from using PET wine bottles 238 7.4 Facing the brand:  The redesign of a packaging system 242 7.4.1 The package configuration and the redesign 243 7.4.2 The comparison of the packaging systems 244 7.4.3 Sustainability implications 246 7.4.4 Concluding remarks 249 References 251 8. Fill rate 254 8.1 Detergent powder packaging: Less is more 256 8.1.1 The detergent powder packaging system 257 8.1.2 The detergent powder supply chain 258 8.1.3 Suggested packaging improvements 259 8.1.4 Potential implications 261 8.1.5 Concluding remarks – less is more 262 8.2 Ice cream packaging: Brick or elliptic shape? 265 8.2.1 GB Glace brick packaging system 265 8.2.2 SIA Glass elliptic packaging system 266 8.2.3 Supply chain descriptions 268 8.2.4 Comparing packaging solutions: a scenario 269 8.2.5 Concluding remarks – brick or elliptic shape? 272 8.3 IKEA loading ledges: It’s not rocket science, but it is about space 277 8.3.1 Implementation – from 2001 to 2010 279 8.3.2 Supply chain impact 280 8.3.3 Concluding remarks – It’s not rocket science, but it is about space 285 8.3.4 Epilogue 288 References 290 9. Apportionment 292 9.1 Apportion for less product waste: Salmon packaging 294 9.1.1 The salmon packaging system 296 9.1.2 The impact of primary package apportionment 297 9.1.3 Concluding remarks 299 9.2 Appropriate numbers of toothpaste tubes in shelf-ready packaging 302 9.2.1 The toothpaste packaging system 302 9.2.2 The toothpaste supply chain 303 9.2.3 Reapportionment for easier handling and improved fill rates 304 9.2.4 Supply chain implications 305 9.3 The quantity of bottles in wine and liquor boxes 310 9.3.1 The wine packaging system 310 9.3.2 The wine supply chain in South Africa 311 9.3.3 Improvement potentials identified 312 9.3.4 The Absolut Vodka packaging system 313 9.3.5 The Absolut Vodka Supply chain 314 9.3.6 Potential packaging modifications and supply chain implications 315 9.3.7 Concluding remarks – “Bottles and boxes for wine and liquor” 317 References 319 10. User-friendliness 320 10.1 Pharmaceutical packaging: Does size matter? 322 10.1.1 The Alvedon supply chain 323 10.1.2 The Alvedon packaging system 323 10.1.3 Implications from a user-friendliness perspective 325 10.1.4 Sustainability implications 328 10.2 Less frustration, less injury and less handling: Controlled delamination materials 332 10.2.1 The controlled delamination invention 332 10.2.2 CDM Sustainability implications 335 10.3 TORK hand towels: Carrying to caring 339 10.3.1 The previous TORK packaging system 340 10.3.2 The TORK supply chain 340 10.3.3 Packaging evaluation and redesign 342 10.3.4 Supply chain impact 343 10.3.5 Concluding remarks – carrying to caring 344 References 348 11. Information and communication 350 11.1 How do you if the milk is sour? – An innovative sensor technique 352 11.1.1 Implications of supply chain implementation 355 11.1.2 Sustainability implications for the indicator invention 359 11.2 Mobile communication through package size and graphics 364 11.2.1 The packaging system 365 11.2.2 Packaging impacts on the markets 366 11.2.3 Suggestions for primary packaging improvements 368 11.2.4 Sustainable supply chain implications 369 11.3 Roll containers for dairy products:  Connecting atoms and bits 373 11.3.1 Implementing a tracking system 375 11.3.2 Implementation results 376 11.3.3 Concluding remarks – connecting atoms and bits 378 11.4 What does the silent salesman do for the sustainable society? 383 References 390 Author Biographies 393 AFTERWORD 394 Index 396