Minimising food waste with industry through better better packaging

Save food packaging criteria and framework

Whilst the primary functions of packaging are to contain, protect and provide information about the product, the overall role of packaging in reducing food waste needs to be better understood by food producers, manufacturers, brand owners, retailers, government and consumers.

Finding the right balance between minimising the use of packaging without increasing food waste is the key challenge for this project. Enhancing packaging’s role in reducing food waste is the next challenge for packaging technologists, designers, and engineers. Industry needs access to guidelines and tools to assist them in their design, selection, and use of packaging materials for food.

This project will produce packaging design criteria and communication material co-designed with industry, which will lead to better packaging design, material selection and format selection using appropriate portioning, sealability, resealability features, date labelling, extend shelf life and provide the information required to assist retail, food service and consumers to minimise food waste.