2.6 Product-Packaging Innovation

This criteria considers actions to reduce the life cycle environmental impact of packaging through innovation in the design of the product-packaging system as a whole. ‘Product-packaging system’ includes the product and all associated packaging (retail and distribution). This involves redesign of the product and its packaging at the same time.

Tracking the number of product-packaging systems that have been evaluated and optimised is required to progress. Optimisation must be reviewed regularly because changes in commercial arrangements, materials, and technologies may present new opportunities to improve packaging sustainability. Actions under this criteria may have been taken as a result of a Sustainable Packaging Guidelines (SPG) review, or in response to another business driver (e.g. cost, marketing, new technology etc.).

Past examples of product-packaging innovation include the development of concentrated liquid products and flat-packed furniture that significantly reduces packaging requirements; and transformation of software sales from physical delivery (discs) to internet downloads.

Recommended: reporting against this criteria is not mandatory, however Members are highly encouraged to attempt recommended criteria where possible.

Conditional: must satisfactorily meet the conditions of one question before progressing to the next.

• Packaging suppliers:The scope of this criteria is the packaging used to distribute your products.
• Retailers:This criteria is most relevant to organisations that sell own-brand products.
• Global companies:This criteria applies to all products put on the market in Australia, regardless of where they were designed or manufactured. If design and procurement is undertaken outside Australia, and you already have an equivalent corporate procedure to promote product-packaging innovation for products sold in Australia, you do not need to introduce a new procedure.
• Importers, distributors and brand owners with no control of product/packaging development:This criteria may not be applicable, but you are encouraged to answer if you have something to report. For example, you may have headquarters outside Australia where product innovation is being imported into Australia.