DS Smith reinforces Toast Ale’s COP26 food waste initiative with circular economy packaging

20 Oct 2021 --- DS Smith has used its Circular Design Metrics (CDM) for the first time to design and manufacture fiber-based packaging for a limited edition beer collection brewed with surplus bread. The COP26 initiative led by Toast Ale highlights the damaging impact of food waste on climate change. 

Dave Ellerington, head of design & innovation and business development at DS Smith Packaging UK & Ireland, tells PackagingInsights CDM is a “breakthrough industry tool,” enabling brands to rate packaging’s circularity and performance across eight key indicators.

Toast Ale’s Companion Series initiative unites 25 breweries across the UK and Ireland, including Guinness and Adnams. According to FAO, one-third of the world’s food is never eaten, while food loss and waste are responsible for around 8% of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.

DS Smith has produced 2,600 Companion Series multipacks using CDM and PACE principles (Performance, Assurance, Consistency and Environment), targeting fit-for-purpose packaging and minimal fiber use through supply chain optimization and limited CO2 impact.

A challenging design
Ellerington says the Companion Series packaging design was “very complex and challenging.” The pack contains 25 beers, snacks and a commemorative glass, totaling over 30 individual items. 

“The pack needed to perform through the supply chain and deliver a great unboxing customer experience while, most importantly, aligning to the environmental credentials of this fantastic initiative.”DS Smith has manufactured 2,600 Companion Series multipacks using CDM and PACE principles.

“Utilizing our PACE principles, our creative team designed the pack with minimum fiber and recycled and fully recyclable materials.” These environmental benefits are demonstrated through CDM labeling printed on-pack.

“By employing these metrics, the figures show how well-designed packaging can be pivotal in reducing overall environmental impact, helping companies in a wide range of sectors reduce waste, keep materials and products in use for longer and have a clear view of their packaging’s circularity performance,” he adds.

CDM follows last year’s launch of the Circular Design Principles, developed with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. DS Smith’s approximately 700 designers have been trained to apply the principles to circular packaging design.

Keeping pace with circularity
DS Smith has used the Companion Series COP26 initiative to launch CDM in the UK. “Moving forward, we will be utilizing this tool in strategic sustainability projects with our customers, complementing our PACE methodology,” Ellerington tells PackagingInsights.

One of CMD’s key benefits is identifying and eliminating unrecyclable packaging components through circular packaging design.The pack contains 25 beers, snacks and a commemorative glass, totaling over 30 items.

With PACE, DS Smith then ensures the product has the strength and characteristics to meet the performance specification, quality checking each product for consistency across batches.

“PACE principles also ensure the minimum necessary materials are used to achieve quality packaging, therefore ensuring environmental efficiency,” adds Ellerington.

The e-commerce packaging specialist also employs its DISCS (Drop, Impact, Shock, Crush, Shake) testing procedure, ensuring the packaging is durable throughout the supply chain, which can include up to 50 touchpoints.

COP26
COP26, taking place in Glasgow, UK, October 31 – November 12, brings parties together to accelerate action toward the Paris Agreement goals and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

“The [Toast Ale] partnership is testament to our commitment to supporting the drinks industry with their sustainability targets and accelerating action toward the goals of the Paris agreement and the UNFCCC,” says Adam Platts, director of sales, marketing and innovation at DS Smith Packaging UK & Ireland.DS Smith’s DISCS e-commerce packaging tests in action.

The limited edition Companion Series can be purchased on Toast Ale’s website. The initiative aims to raise £65,000 (US$90,000) for conservation and regenerative agriculture to protect 3.25 million trees in threatened tropical rainforests and sequester 360 tCO2 in agricultural soils.

In similar designs, DS Smith recently replaced polyethylene with crepe paper in e-commerce packaging and developed recyclable postal packs for Blaue Helden refill tablets as part of its pledge to produce 100% recyclable or reusable packaging by 2023.

The company is also investigating seaweed fibers in packaging applications for reducing carbon emissions associated with traditional materials like wood. The company says this is an “industry-first” playing a significant role in its “purge on plastics.”

PackagingInsights recently explored the challenges and opportunities in e-commerce packaging in a webinar with Daniela Dorner, eCommerce director at Mondi, and Akhil Aiyar, senior market analyst at Innova Market Insights.

By Joshua Poole