The Consumer Attitudes to Waste and Food Packaging study has been commissioned by Wrap and a group of packaging, retail and food associations as part of the new Fresher for Longer campaign, which aims to educate consumers on how packaging reduces food waste.
The study will be presented by Marks & Spencer packaging technologist Simon Oxley and Packaging Federation chief executive Dick Searle, both of whom have played key roles in the Fresher for Longer campaign.
They will also discuss how the results from the study have helped shape the Fresher For Longer campaign and what retailers, manufacturers and trade associations can do to promote the important role packaging plays in reducing the 4.4 million tonnes of food and drink wasted each year.
Visitors to the show can hear the presentation on Wednesday 20 March.
Searle said: “The research shows the clear disconnect between perceptions about food and drink packaging and the reality – as little as 13 per cent of people realise that packaging can help products keep for longer.
“The amount of food wasted each year is scandalous and the industry has a responsibility to educate consumers and help effect change. We are pleased to be supporting this important initiative and look forward to debating the issue with other industry professionals at Pro2Pac next week.”
The report has been produced by a new partnership between Wrap, Incpen, The Packaging Federation, the Food and Drink Federation, Kent Waste Partnership and the British Retail Consortium.
Christopher McCuin, event director for Pro2Pac, said: “The food waste issue is one close to my heart – the unnecessary amount of food thrown away absolutely astounds me.
“The packaging industry has done a lot to improve the preservation of food so it’s important that we invest time and money into communicating this with consumers using initiatives such as Fresher For Longer. Pro2Pac 2013 has put sustainability at the forefront and I am delighted that this will be the first time the report will be presented to the industry.”
