In This Issue

Study sheds light on eco-perceptions across the ages When it comes to greener packaging, "consumers get it," says Elin Raymond, President of The Sage Group, Inc.

Call for entries: Greener Package Awards Competition Greener Package.com, edited by Summit Publishing Co., the company that publishes Shelf Impact!, introduces its 2009 Greener Package Awards Competition.

Pack Expo Las Vegas to feature Brand Zone exhibits To help brand owners maximize success on the retail shelf, the Packaging Machinery and Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) will launch The Brand Zone at Pack Expo Las Vegas Oct. 5 to 7, 2009, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Package Gallery

P&G's Prilosec OTC packs relief for consumers, waste stream

By Jim Butschli, Editor, Healthcare Packaging

When some consumers told Procter & Gamble that it was challenging to open the company's Prilosec OTC peel-push primary pack, P&G responded with a push-through pack that provides easier opening, as well as economic and sustainability benefits, including reducing packaging material by 800,000 lb annually. All this is accomplished without trade-offs in safety and efficacy.

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The redesigned Prilosec OTC pack is offered in 14-, 28-, and 42-count SKUs. The 14-day course of treatment is based on taking one pill a day to treat heartburn occurring two or more days a week.

John Eadicicco, P&G's Section Head, Health Franchise, Global Package and Device Development, explains that P&G conducted focus-group testing to remedy the challenge of opening the package. The company received feedback and observed consumers opening packs. P&G also worked closely during package redevelopment with Alcan Global Pharmaceutical Packaging.

Developing an appropriate structure for the Prilosec OTC package extended beyond making it easy to open, senior-friendly, and child-resistant.

"We wanted to reduce our use of nonrenewable materials; cold-formable foil in this instance," Eadicicco says.

A critical change for Prilosec OTC was to replace its two seven-count blister cards for the 14-count treatment regimen with a single blister card containing 14 tablets, "without changing the footprint of the card," Eadicicco says. To accomplish that, he says, "We changed the geometry of the cavity design to yield straighter sidewalls within the cold-forming process. We changed from a peel-push to a push-through pack to make it easier to open, while still meeting our established safety standards for child-resistance."

Lidding material from Alcan is heat-sealed to the filled foil blister material. The material comes preprinted with the brand name, registered trademark, the active ingredient, and instructions on how to open the blister via the push-through process.

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Next, an ink-jet printer stamps lot and expiration date codes on the sealed blister material, which is then indexed to a die-cutting station. The web of material is cut into individual 14-count blister cards. One card and an insert are then placed into a carton, providing a Food and Drug Administration-required unique treatment pack. For the 28- or 42-count cartons, two or three of the 14-count cartons are then

placed into an outer carton.

P&G also changed the carton graphics to deliver a stunning shelf presence. The refreshed carton graphics give the appearance of rays coming off the carton.

"Our creative folks said if we could enhance the graphics with a foil backing or a foil laminate on the carton, it would make our brand equity stand out more," Eadicicco says. "So we looked at ways to do that without adding foil material, considering that we reduced the amount of foil in the primary package. For the carton, we selected cast and cure (an optical varnish) that met that design intent. The new graphics have a holographic look, and we didn't add foil or metalized film."

Ellis Packaging supplied the optically varnished cartons.

Read the complete article.

Study sheds light on eco-perceptions across the ages

By Anne Marie Mohan, Senior Editor, Packaging World

When it comes to greener packaging, "consumers get it," says Elin Raymond, President of The Sage Group, Inc. In late January, Raymond presented the results of a study on consumers' beliefs and behaviors surrounding sustainable packaging at the Michigan State University School of Packaging's second annual Packaging Executives Forum.

The study found that consumers consider the authenticity and integrity of green claims to be essential, and they recognize greenwashing. Raymond noted that in the shopper's "eco-perception," a consumer packaged goods company, its product, and its packaging are an integrated whole. "Green is an organizational cultural keystone, a key brand attribute," she said.

The study grouped respondents into four generational categories: "Millennials" (17 to 25 years old), "Gen Xers" (26 to 40), "Boomers" (41 to 55), and "Matures" (56+). Almost universally, Matures were the most eco-friendly group, while Millennials showed the least proclivity toward green behavior.

The study showed that 89.7% of Matures always recycle, followed by 69.6% of Gen Xers, 67.6% of Boomers, and 56.8% of Millennials. Matures were the most willing to pay more for eco-friendly packaged products (44.8%), and 75.9% of Matures said the eco-impact of packaging has a "big impact" on their buying decisions. The only group that said the eco-friendly nature of products has "somewhat of an impact" was Millennials, at 61.7%.

In the mind of the consumer, perception equals reality for packaged consumer goods, Raymond said. According to the study, consumers perceive the most eco-friendly packages and products to be glass containers, aluminum cans, products sold in bulk, "cardboard" packaging, paper grocery bags, concentrated liquids, and packaging made from recycled materials.

Elin Raymond

Respondents identified non eco-friendly packages as including "single-serve anything;" electronics and toy packaging; heavy, hard plastic-packaged items or bottles; anything not made from recycled materials; anything that can't be recycled; "overkill" packaging; most plastic water bottles; plastic foam; takeout containers; plastic can rings; and clamshell containers.

Sage concluded that consumers see sustainable packaging as being synonymous with recyclable materials. Therefore, "more education is needed," Raymond advised.

To appeal to each generation with the appropriate green marketing approach, Raymond mentioned 12 strategies. For the two youngest groups, companies must create an online life/friends for their brand. "Millennials and Gen Xers are always linked online," she said.

Among her suggestions for marketing to the 17- to 40-year-olds:

• Keep engaged via two-way social media. This includes hosting online contests, creating a Facebook company profile, and using Twitter to announce events, brand extensions, etc.
• Help them try your brand by providing free/discount coupons on Facebook, MySpace, and other Web sites. Integrate online and traditional marketing.
• Track what's said about your brand/product via YackTrack.com.
• Sponsor environmental or cause-related events in target geographic markets.

For Boomers and Matures, Raymond advised the following steps:

• Focus on brand/product environmental attributes and education.
• Use green-event marketing in target geo-markets.
• Ask for e-feedback on product/brand and reward input.
  

Call for entries: Greener Package Awards Competition

Greener Package.com, edited by Summit Publishing Co., the company that publishes Shelf Impact!, introduces its 2009 Greener Package Awards Competition. You are invited to submit your package designs for consideration.

The editors of Greener Package.com have created the judging categories and criteria by working with some of the sharpest minds in sustainability and packaging, their Expert Network. The winners, to be announced in mid-2009, will be packages that accelerate the learning curve for consumer packaged goods companies and their supplier networks to help them further their own journey in packaging and sustainability.

Award categories are: Greener Package Award, Closing the Loop Award, Clean Manufacturing Award, Consumer Education Award, Retail Leadership Award, and Innovator of the Year Award.

Visit Greener Package.com for complete judging criteria and competition information.

Pack Expo Las Vegas to feature Brand Zone exhibits

To help brand owners maximize success on the retail shelf, the Packaging Machinery and Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) will launch The Brand Zone at Pack Expo Las Vegas Oct. 5 to 7, 2009, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Covering more than 60,000 sq ft, The Brand Zone will spotlight packaging technologies that can help innovation executives, brand managers, marketers, and package designers launch new products, refresh existing brands, and improve sustainability scores.

Exhibits will include The Showcase of Packaging Innovations, sponsored by The Dow Chemical Co.

For information, call PMMI’s Show Department at 703/243-8555.