The Food South Australia ‘Sustainable Packaging to Reduce Food Waste’ program was an industry-led pilot project bringing together South Australian food and beverage businesses, packaging experts and government to explore the complexities and challenges of sustainable packaging to reduce food waste and provide sustainable packaging solutions. The project was delivered in partnership with the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) and was established as a three stage program across ten months.
Stage 1: businesses visited a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) to expose participants to the realities and limitations of recycling equipment and material handling issues.
Stage 2: offered one-on-one consultation sessions with AIP packaging experts which encouraged participants to get more customised help in addressing their own packaging needs and to collaborate with other businesses addressing the same types of challenges.
Stage 3: offered participants follow up assistance through FIAL’s Food Matrix online portal/website.
“The Sustainable Packaging to Reduce Food Waste Program was developed in partnership with the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP)as we believe they would provide professional and personal development around sustainable packaging and save food packaging innovations to encourage adoption of best practice by industry. AIP provided a high degree of adaptability for each of the participants enabling each business to get the most value from the program. Follow up was done with each participant, providing all relevant information to assist them as much as possible. This project has been a real catalyst for businesses to think about food waste as a priority. Options for sustainable packaging material and ways in which the businesses can improve their waste management system have been common themes throughout the project.” Catherine Sayer, Chief Executive Officer, Food South Australia.