Serving the Conscious Consumer: How Tetra Pak® Addresses Food Packaging Safety & Sustainability

by Tomotaka Brink Fushimi, Global Product Director – Ambient Solutions at Tetra Pak®

As a world-leading packaging solutions company committed to making safe food available everywhere, and one that has a sustainable approach to business as a core value, we at Tetra Pak® were delighted to have the opportunity to showcase our vision for serving the conscious customer at the Sustainable Packaging Virtual Conference 2022.
The conference is the region’s premier forum for the packaging industry, bringing together all members of the packaging value chain, as well as consumers, environmentalists and other industry stakeholders. As Global Director of Ambient Solutions at Tetra Pak®, I was honored to be able to speak on behalf of the company about our commitment to food packaging safety and sustainability, as part of the Perspectives on Safe & Sustainable Food Packaging panel of industry experts.
Our vision for serving the conscious customer developed largely from insights gathered from the Tetra Pak® Index, a global consumer survey, the latest of which was taken in 2021. One of the key survey findings was that environmental issues and food safety & future food supplies were issues of major concern for consumers. What we learnt is that responsible consumption is now front and center in peoples’ minds, and that empathy and mindfulness are of increasing importance to the consumer, as well as a desire to support wider society.
Health focus has also moved from protection to prevention, with a sentiment that ‘being healthy is being safe’. The survey showed that 62% of respondents have begun to pay more attention to the quality of what they eat and drink, and that 53% increasingly choose products that support the immune system. Of particular interest was the increased reporting of a preference of food & beverage (especially juices and dairy products) over supplements to boost immunity. And, as expected, sustainability & safety were key packaging requirements, with 50% of respondents citing environmentally friendly packaging as ideal package characteristics.
We also saw a marked shift in social attitudes, with a heightened sense of responsibility taking center stage. People feel that they, as individuals, need to act now so as not to fail future generations. Awareness, responsibility and action were key messages to take away from the survey. Consumers are asking brands to be more responsible. Quite surprisingly, survey respondents held food and beverage companies most responsible for finding environmental solutions, over governments and packaging companies (a close 2nd and 3rd, respectively). Consumers also felt that they themselves needed to be more responsible. Interestingly, the percentage of respondents citing ‘food & beverage companies’ and ‘consumers like myself’ as most responsible for finding environmental solutions was far higher than the 2019 Index. This indicates a step change in consumers’ attitudes towards sustainability and social responsibility during the challenging period between 2020 and now.
In response to shifting consumer social attitudes, Tetra Pak® help brands stay relevant to the conscious consumer. Throughout the value chain, from food sourcing to production and to the final consumer, we strive to put safety and sustainability at the forefront, by developing innovative and sustainable packaging, transforming by-products, launching recycling initiatives and undertaking strategic global partnerships to bolster our positive social and environmental impact.
Our Strategy 2030 put ‘leading the sustainability transformation’ as one of its central pillars. We are committed to shaping the future with sustainable, secure food systems. Our solutions help prevent food loss, and our partnerships develop programs that help end hunger. Reducing our environmental impact and increasing the renewability of our products has been the result of many years’ work and a commitment to a low-carbon, circular economy.
With the conscious consumer in mind, we introduced carbon-reduced and neutral package certifications, announced a net zero climate goal, and led and implemented a wide range of activities across the recycling value chain, amongst other initiatives. Our aim is to create value for and with our customers. We are constantly looking to develop new products and processes that meet our rigorous safety and quality standards, while having a lower environmental footprint.
With the results of the Index in mind, and with renewed insight into the conscious consumer mindset, our view that our future success depends on our ability to provide safe and sustainable products to consumers, and to commit to being socially responsible, is stronger than ever before. We commit to making safe food available everywhere. To serve our customers, to serve society – we protect what’s good.