All Social Impact articles
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ArticleA status report on GLP-1 packaging: sizing, safety, security, and more
Weight-loss drugs keep gaining traction – is that a blessing or a curse for the packaging industry? We dive deeper into the implications of smaller portion sizes, pharmaceutical safety practices versus circular packaging initiatives, supply chain traceability, and more.
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ArticleNestlé chief executive blames Trump for sustainability silence
Nestlé’s chief executive allegedly blames President Donald Trump for the brand’s public silence on sustainability, telling employees that he remains committed to net zero emissions.
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ArticleWhat the High Seas Treaty means for packaging: from substrates to shipping
The High Seas Treaty has entered into force, with potential implications for the packaging industry – including access to marine genetic resources like seaweed and mandatory environmental impact assessments for shipping activities.
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ArticleDo consumers demand too much?
The success or failure of a sustainability-minded packaging design can ultimately hinge on consumer participation, but do they hold impossible expectations? In this edition of the Brief, we delve into the most controversial packaging alterations in recent years, consider why consumers responded so poorly, and ask the important question: is the demand for convenience holding us back?
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Article2D code helps disabled consumers access on-pack information offline
HD Barcode aims to improve the accessibility of on-pack product information with HDInfoCode, an advanced 2D code designed for consumers with reading challenges, visual or hearing impairments, and more.
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ArticlePlain packaging could discourage teenagers from buying vapes, say researchers
Research led by University College London and King’s College London suggests that selling vape pods in plain packaging could dissuade young people from buying them – but the same cannot be said for adult consumers.
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ArticleWhat are the key factors in a successful deposit return system?
A new fact sheet from Reloop names system scope, refund value, and convenience and accessibility as the keys to a successful deposit return system while delving deeper into the social, economic, and practical contexts affecting return rates.
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ArticleMcDonald’s Happy Meal box becomes canvas to ‘draw how you feel’
McDonald’s and BBC Children in Need have debuted blank Happy Meal boxes to encourage children to express their emotions through art and start mental health conversations.
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ArticleSustainability definitions and performance concerns hinder packaging progress
McKinsey’s latest research identifies six key barriers companies face when considering sustainability-minded packaging materials, including performance concerns, limited market supply, and different definitions of sustainability.
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ArticleThe Microsoft approach to packaging accessibility
As Senior Creative Director of Packaging Design and Content Development at Microsoft, Marshall has spent decades shaping how one of the world’s most influential brands thinks about packaging: not merely as a container, but as an extension of empathy, understanding, and access.
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ArticleHow can we retrieve ocean plastic waste – and should AI help us do it?
Efforts to collect plastic waste from the ocean are growing in popularity, and machine learning is emerging as a tool to monitor waste hotspots. But should we bring existing waste back to shore? Should AI ever play a role in it, and what does any of it mean for packaging? We dive deeper in the latest edition of the Brief.
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ArticleWhat is the real impact of plastic waste exports on developing countries?
Developed countries export millions of tonnes of plastic waste each year, often to developing nations that may not have the infrastructure to manage it. This report explores the environmental, economic, and regulatory impacts of these exports, with a focus on the EU’s recent measures to curb them and the ongoing challenges surrounding illegal waste shipments.
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ArticleMispackaged ice cream recalled as undeclared nuts risk allergic reactions
Blue Bell Ice Cream has voluntarily recalled a limited quantity of its ice cream after it was mistakenly distributed in another flavour’s packaging, resulting in undeclared health risks for consumers with nut allergies.
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Article30% of Notting Hill Carnival’s waste collected and recycled by SUEZ
One week after Notting Hill Carnival, an annual street party celebrating Caribbean culture, SUEZ reports that it has cleaned up 330 tonnes of waste left behind by attendees – subsequently recycling 30% of the load.
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ArticleEZVIZ and Plastic Bank team up to retrieve 20,000 kg of plastic waste
By partnering with Plastic Bank, EZVIZ aims to remove 20,000 kilograms of plastic waste from the environment and support waste collectors across Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
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ArticleThe Brief: Do single-use plastic water bottles spell disaster for tourism?
As our summer vacations draw to a close, have we left mountains of single-use water bottles in our wake? In this edition of the Brief, we weigh up the necessity of plastic bottles at tourist destinations, factoring in both safety and convenience, and consider best practices for our future holidays.
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ArticleINC-5.2: Breaking point or turning point?
INC-5.2 was a failure – but is that necessarily a bad thing? Willemijn Peeters, founder of Searious Business, tells us why this breakdown might be exactly what is needed.
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ArticleINC-5.2 was a failure – what happens next?
1257 days after governments first agreed to develop an international legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, the world is still waiting.
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ArticleThe Green Divide: why sustainability leaves the Global South behind
In this article Njoki Kangethe, sustainability consultant and writer at EcoNjia, details the ‘green divide’ - a gulf between how sustainability is lived, discussed, and funded in wealthy nations versus the realities in the Global South.
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ArticlePublic consultation and call for evidence launched for Circular Economy Act
The European Commission has launched a public consultation and call for evidence for its upcoming Circular Economy Act, seeking input from stakeholders and the public to understand the opportunities and bottlenecks for a circular transition.