Have Your Cake And Eat The Packaging Too
There’s no question that Aussies and Kiwis love dining out. In fact, Aussies spend more on takeaway meals and restaurants ($95.05 each week) than we do on electricity ($35.05) or secondary education ($27.99).
On average, Aussies are eating out two times a week and spending $2.6 billion each year on food delivery from companies like UberEats, Deliveroo and Menulog.
Our Kiwi mates’ love affair is a bit more under control, spending about half as much on restaurant meals per week, however dining out still represents 26% of their total food spend.
While it’s luxurious to treat ourselves regularly, our environment is paying the price – Kiwis send approximately 2.5 million tonnes of waste to landfill, and Aussies approximately 64 million tonnes.
Brands are faced with how to meet the growing consumer demand for convenient and portable food solutions, whilst also meeting the groundswell of pressure to be more environmentally responsible.
This quest for sustainability is seeing a trend of innovative edible packaging gain currency around the world.
Just eat the sachets
Ever wonder where all of those sauce sachets that arrive with your UberEats end up? In the UK, Just Eat delivery service has begun to offer edible sauce sachets made by Skipping Rocks Lab.
The sachets were available to Just Eat patrons during a six-week trial launched in July 2018.
Following the success of the trial, 10 London restaurants further trialled this product for 8 weeks, which is expected to prevent approximately 40,000 plastic sauce packets from entering homes.
Water bubbles
By 2050, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation predicted there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans.
It takes 700 years for a plastic bottle to decompose and about 500 for plastic straws. If reading this makes you concerned, you’ll be happy to learn that we are seeing innovations using plant and seaweed materials to create a sustainable alternative to these products.
A newly developed product, Ooho, is flexible packaging for liquids made from seaweed extracts. The packaging can hold almost any liquid and degrades in a natural environment after 6 weeks, or you can eat it.
Their first product, launched in early 2018 was an on-the-go water ‘bubble’ filled with London tap water.
Ooho designer Pierre Paslier told the Guardian, “At the end of the day you don’t have to eat it. But the edible part shows how natural it is. People are really enthusiastic about the fact that you can create a material for packaging matter that is so harmless that you can eat it.”
Designed to disappear
The world of straws is also seeing revolutionary innovation happening.
Meet Lolistraw, made of a seaweed-based material and designed by Loliware, this straw can be consumed after you finish your drink (if you don’t eat it, it can go in the compost or just dissolve in nature.)
This American based company has designed a bright and eclectic collection of edible ‘designed to disappear’ straws that can have flavours and even nutrients added to them.
Chelsea Briganti, one of the Loliware cofounders told Fast Company, “You can imagine drinking your cold-brewed coffee with a vanilla straw or a caramel straw. We think that will really increase this movement around plastic-free, because we’re not telling the consumer, hey, you can’t have your straw.
We’re providing them a solution to the plastic straw crisis while also giving them a fun experience on top of that. It’s not about the consumer sacrificing anymore, it’s about the consumer having fun and being sustainable at the same time.”
Shop plastic free
We are even beginning to see whole supermarket aisles go plastic free around the world.
In particular, Ekoplaza, a shop in the Netherlands offers its customers the ability to choose from more than 700 plastic-free products including meat, rice, dairy, chocolate, yogurt, snacks, cereals and fresh fruit and vegetables.
The products are instead wrapped in alternative biodegradable packaging.
“There is absolutely no logic in wrapping something as fleeting as food in something as indestructible as plastic,” Sian Sutherland, cofounder of A Plastic Planet, told the Guardian.
“Plastic food and drink packaging remains useful for a matter of days yet remains a destructive presence on the Earth for centuries afterwards.”
This trend has yet to take off in mainstream supermarkets in the UK or around the world, but according to Transparency Market Research, demand for edible packaging could increase on average by 6.9 per cent yearly until 2024.
Eat everything on your plate
In a feat to address fast food packaging waste, New Zealand burger chain Better Burger teamed up with Innocent Packaging to create plant-based and compostable packaging for their burgers.
The wafer paper packaging made from potato starch and water encouraged their customers to eat everything on their plate, rubbish included. They even went the distance and used edible ink to brand the packaging, adding their logo and a fun design.
“When we started Better Burger, it felt like all I could see was fast food rubbish dumped on the side of the road, on footpaths and in parks. I decided then and there that we weren’t going to contribute to the waste problem – we could do better”, says Rod Ballenden, General Manager, Better Burger.
“I’d say we are the only fast food chain in all of Australasia with fully plant-based, compostable packaging so none of our front-of-house waste is sitting in landfill for any great period of time.”
Since October 2017, Better Burger have saved more than 366,000 plastic items from going to the landfill from its outlets. Ballenden estimates this number will reach one million by 2019.
This article by Lori Mitchell, first appeared in VoPP Mag, The Food and Wine Issue, 2019.
Latest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.