More and more packaging and rising waste volumes are an increasing challenge. Sustainable packaging reduction and optimization are therefore necessary. Over the next 11 months, a current project, which includes the online consumer-community “Zukunft anPacken!”, will investigate how this can be achieved.
“As a real-life test bed, the digital consumer-community is intended to help make packaging solutions more sustainable in the future,” says Belinda Bäßler of VERBRAUCHER INITIATIVE e.V. (Bundesverband). Usually, primarily designers, packaging producers and retailers are involved in the development of packaging. However, the main use is by consumers, who are still too little involved in the development process. “That’s exactly where “Zukunft anPacken!” comes in,” says the expert speaker.
At regular intervals, the motivated participants are given various tasks, for example on the topics of “separating and sorting waste,” “shopping unpackaged” or “reusing packaging.” A regular exchange also provides important insights into consumer behavior. In the next step, the insights gained find their way into practice, for example through exchange with science and companies.
So far, more than 200 people have signed up for the digital community. Before the official launch, an attitude and motivation survey was conducted. On the one hand, this provided an initial overview of the participants, and on the other, their needs could be incorporated into the content of the community. The community platform will be officially launched this week. It is provided by the service provider “Kernwert”, which specializes in qualitative online research.
More about the current challenges and approaches to solutions in the field of packaging, an outlook on the future and useful consumer tips for choosing environmentally friendly packaging are provided in the new Sustainable Packaging (“Nachhaltige Verpackungen”) issue of the VERBRAUCHER INITIATIVE. The 16-page brochure can be ordered or downloaded for 2.00 euros (plus shipping) at www.verbraucher.com.
