Practicing sustainability includes using safe and adequate packaging and reducing product damage.
In addition to exploring sustainable packaging options, many companies are seeking ways to decrease their environmental footprint. This can be quite difficult and often affects the way products get shipped. One factor of shipping that increases your footprint and decreases your profits is the tendency for goods to be damaged during delivery. As e-commerce increases, the risk of damaging products goes up. But what can you do to avoid these damages and lost profits? Investing in the right packaging may be just the thing to promote sustainability and satisfy customers.
The Impact of Damaged Goods
When you consider your sustainability practices, you should consider the impact of damaged goods. These goods are often damaged due to inadequate or incorrect packaging. When products are damaged, repackaging and reshipping a new product adds to your carbon footprint. Additionally, the original damaged product is thrown out by the consumer and contributes to landfill waste. If the right packaging had been used, these initial products could have been delivered intact the first time.
Use Packaging to Minimize Damage
Consider the many ways packaging can be damaged in transit. They can be compressed, experience shock, and exposed to water, heat, or humidity. What can you do to minimize this potential damage? There are a few actions to take:
- Design packaging appropriate for the transportation environment, and use environmentally friendly materials when possible.
- Consider using films to protect surfaces from scratches during transit. This can be best for electronics or automotive parts that need a flawless finish.
- Rightsizing is essential because products can be rattled around a box or crushed by heavier items. Choose a small box for a small object, and use sufficient cushioning. This will provide more protection than a large box.
- Make sure your labels are adequate. A label that isn’t readable or peels off easily can mean that the order won’t be delivered correctly. You may consider printing shipping information directly onto the shipping bag.
Communicate with Customers
Consumers care about sustainability in the products they use. Consumers equally appreciate companies that deliver items safely. A Packaging InSight study reports that as many as 73% of people are unlikely to buy something else from a company that delivered a damaged product.
Because consumers seek sustainably-packaged products and desire undamaged deliveries, packaging your items in sustainable, sturdy packaging will greatly impress your customers. You can also include information on which materials are being used and how they can be recycled. If one of the materials isn’t sustainable, you may also explain why it was chosen and its benefit to the consumer or product.
Invest in Sustainability
A company can reduce its carbon footprint and see positive results by understanding the impact shipping has on sustainability. Investing in the proper packaging for your products can eliminate damaged goods and re-sending products. When you educate your consumers on your packaging choices, you also increase the consumers’ appreciation of your efforts and products. Making a plan and investing in sustainability benefits everyone in the long run.
Liquid Packaging Specialists
For over 70 years, FILAMATIC has provided a wide range of liquid filling machines to the packaging market. We create flexible, customized solutions for every stage of your business growth. Whether you require a single machine, a complete turnkey solution, or a fully-automated, integrated Monobloc system, we have the liquid filling experience for any solution.
For more information on liquid filling, capping and labeling solutions, please call 866.258.1914 or visit – www.filamatic.com/contact-us.