Global Retailer Sets New Goals for Sustainable Packaging
WALMART REVEALS NEW INITIATIVES TO REDUCE PLASTIC WASTE
The Walmart Corporation has recently unveiled new initiatives aimed at reducing the company’s global environmental impact. Walmart, since the early 2000’s, has been working towards a reduction in their carbon footprint and have introduced various measures and methods to reduce waste and encourage a product line that is more environmentally conscious. Their approach to sustainability has taken the responsibility away from the individual consumer and placed it into the hands of the producers themselves. Walmart has set new goals to reduce plastic packaging and encourage their suppliers to adopt recyclable-friendly product containers.
WALMART’S SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING GOALS
According to a press release on the retailer’s website, Walmart seeks to implement the following steps towards a more sustainable private brand label:
Seek to achieve 100% recyclable, reusable, or industrial compostable packaging for Walmart’s private brand by 2025.
Aim for at least 20% post-consumer recycled content in private brand packaging by 2025.
100% of food and consumable private brand packaging to have integrated recycling instructions for consumers by 2025.
Encourage and work with suppliers to eliminate non-recyclable packaging material (PVC) by 2020 and reduce plastic packaging whenever possible.
RECYCLING COMPLIANT PACKAGING
The retailer’s private brand packaging is getting a makeover as a result of these new initiatives. Intended to make recycling easier for the consumer and to reduce plastic waste overall, Walmart’s new goals promote consumer-friendly recycling labels and aim to make their private brand suppliers’ packaging recycling compliant, reusable, or industrial compostable by the year 2025.
A little while back, we talked all about recycling labels and what goes into making labels and their associated components recycling compatible. With these new goals from Walmart in place, suppliers to the retailer’s private brand may want to consider making sure the labels on their product containers and the containers themselves are able to be recycled simultaneously. When it comes to plastic containers, the product and the label in question will most likely have to be made of the same or compliant materials. In addition, companies who are looking to make reusable containers may want to look into labeling and label designs that can be reused or repurposed, making their product containers multi-use.
INDUSTRIAL COMPOSTABLE LABELING
In another vein, suppliers could also choose to refrain from traditional plastic completely and focus on integrating materials that can be completely composted. Biodegradability and compostability in labeling are the future of sustainable packaging solutions. When it comes to this route, suppliers will need to make sure their labels are made from certified compostable materials and will need to weigh if their products are to be industrially composted or can be composted by the consumer themselves.
These avenues of approach to labeling are the future of product packaging. Walmart’s goals show a trend of suppliers that are growing increasingly conscious of their environmental impact and are looking to create smaller carbon footprints. As a global retailer setting new goals for sustainable packaging, it is safe to say that reusable, recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable packaging options are on the rise.
To learn more about sustainable label production and environmentally-friendly packaging solutions, contact us at Derksen Co. We’re proud to offer alternative solutions to traditional labeling practices, creating labels that are low-impact on the environment, yet high-impact to consumers. To speak to a Derksen Co. team member, call (920) 685-4000 or email team@derksenco.com. You can also drop us a message using our inquiries page or get in touch with us through our contact us page.