Food Marketing & Technology - India May 2019 | Page 44

Packaging
NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE
PACKAGING IN MEAT INDUSTRY
BY: LISA SUWAL *
N
otwithstanding
the
perception of India being
largely a vegetarian country,
the meat production in the country
is estimated to be around 6.3 million
tonnes, which makes it the fifth largest
producer of meat in the world. As of
2016, India exported $5 billion worth
of meat per year. By 2022, the Indian
meat market is estimated to touch $65
billion as compared to $31 billion in
2018 which indicates a CAGR of 20
percent.
According to Central Pollution Study
board, India produces 26,000 tonnes
of plastic every day. Data provided
by FICCI confirms that the plastic
packaging industry in India is worth
$32 billion.
Consumers are Demanding
Sustainability
As of today, more than 50 percent
of consumers in the US take
recyclability,
sustainability
and
biodegradability of packaging into
account while purchasing products.
In fact, according to a study done by
Dataessential, 43 percent of consumers
believe that it is important for retail
packaging to be recyclable and
reusable.
Sustainable packaging is emerging as
one of the most important dynamics
in the meat industry. Even though
it is inevitable that this is the way
forward, businesses are still divided
about the tangible benefits that
sustainable packing can offer. Due to
misconceptions, it is thought that any
kind of sustainable business practice
results in cost escalations. To debunk
this myth, it is important to look at the
need for sustainable packing in the
meat industry.
Lowers Carbon Footprint: increasing
the usage of sustainable packaging
drastically reduces carbon emissions.
Sustainable
packaging
products
Food Marketing & Technology
44
May 2019
are light, use renewable fibres and
optimised manufacturing processes.
This enables them to substantially
reduce their carbon footprint from
cradle to gate.
Requires Less Energy and Cost:
Trays, which are created using
sustainable methods require lower
levels of heat for sealing, which
reduces the energy consumption
of the manufacturer by 15 percent.
Alternative
packaging
materials
might be lighter and therefore could
result in cost reduction over the long
run for manufacturers. Lightweight
materials would also cost less to be
manufactured.
Meat Remains Fresh: Sustainable
packaging methods make it possible
for meat to remain fresh and retain
its flavour over a longer period of
time. It doesn’t let external factors
like temperature or hygiene affect the
quality of meat.