Food packaging serves many functions, from product protection to extending product shelf life to enabling convenient or effective usage (i.e., portability, resealability) to communicating relevant information or brand image to consumers. However, packaging has various negative impacts on the environment throughout its life cycle. While consumers are aware of the detrimental environmental impact of packaging, there is a mismatch between consumers’ perception of packaging sustainability and the scientifically-measured impact (Otto et al., 2021). This thesis explored the intersection of the consumer, governmental, and scientific perspectives on packaging sustainability, while also balancing other important aspects (i.e., quality perception, feasibility, etc.) to realise a holistically sustainable packaging strategy.
The client company for this project was Enrico Food, the brand owner of Bertolli. Bertolli is a key player in the Mediterranean foods category in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. This project aimed to contribute to two of Enrico’s business objectives: a successful launch of the Bertolli pasta sauce product line in the UK and improving the environmental sustainability of the pasta sauce packaging. This thesis resulted in a suitable sustainability strategy and holistically sustainable packaging concepts for the UK launch and beyond.
First, background research into the system surrounding (Bertolli’s) food packaging was conducted via stakeholder interviews and desk research. Literature research into sustainable packaging design strategies, consumer behaviour, and brand sustainability strategy was carried out. A framework integrating various stakeholders’ perspectives was developed to aid in the creation of a suitable and meaningful sustainability strategy for Bertolli. Various tools and methods identified in the literature review were employed to evaluate the current packaging formats and develop new packaging concepts. The strategy and concepts were refined based on internal and external stakeholder feedback, expert feedback, and consumer studies.
This process resulted in the proposal of a comprehensive sustainability strategy that addresses relevant material issues in an authentic way. Concerning packaging design, a revamped design of Bertolli’s pouch pack format was proposed. The pouch was identified as the most suitable pack format for Bertolli to focus its efforts on in the short-term and medium-term due to its current and forecasted environmental performance, ease of implementation, and high consumer acceptance. Various sustainability cues (i.e., naturalistic graphic design style, claims, and sustainability information) were embedded to improve consumer sustainability perception. For the long-term time horizon, two main strategies were proposed: direct-to-consumer models and reusable packaging models. Roadmaps were developed to guide Bertolli in implementing the proposed sustainability strategy and packaging sustainability improvements.
This thesis provides insights into sustainability strategy development, UK consumers’ packaging preferences, and techniques to design and evaluate sustainable packaging concepts.