FEATURE
Packaging –
the new product
differentiator
Packaging is too often the forgotten element of the pesticide
development process, but if approached properly it could be
the impetus for significant financial rewards and product life
extensions, says Chris Waterhouse
I
n an industry awash with innovation and and techniques of other industries and market
invention, why is packaging considered to sectors. A push:pull technology development
be, at best, “tail end Charlie” and, more methodology encourages appropriate thinking
typically, merely an afterthought? Harnessing in a hugely effective way, resulting in positive
the potential of existing packaging systems and participation and a level of open and innovative
introducing new and innovative systems in the thinking that Einstein would have encouraged.
same way as other markets, such as food or FMCG
(fast-moving consumer goods), would contribute Consider first the question of what is a
significantly to delivering the messages and sustainable pack. In the eyes of many, it may
business improvements that the agrochemical simply mean “reduce the weight, use less The food industry and
industry is so keen to promote. plastic”. But have you ever thought that this FMCG markets provide
may not be the ultimate cure-all? Perhaps now some interesting examples
In offering ways to enhance the environmental is the time to challenge this blinkered “weight that could easily translate to the agrochemical
credentials of the industry whilst simultaneously watcher” approach and embrace sustainability industry. British supermarket chains Tesco and
creating opportunities to improve the product by adopting sound life cycle principles based Morrisons have recently reported that light-
cost base and levels of handling, safety and on market understanding and insight rather weight glass wine bottles will save around
convenience, packaging should be a central focus than emotional rhetoric. Going on a diet is no 6,000 tonnes of glass a year – the “weight
of the agrochemical industry and considered fun and, in my experience, unsustainable in the watcher” approach. In contrast, Wolf Blass,
for additional investments in resources and long term! the well-known Australian wine producer, has
time. The rapid payback from this investment, just launched a new range of wines in PET
when compared with the protracted product A change in life-style (-cycle!) fundamentals is (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, which
development and registration process, makes the only route to sustainable health and fitness. they claim achieve a 90% weight saving over
it all the more surprising that the filling and Life Cycle Management (LCM) provides gainful the equivalent glass. Interestingly, the more
packing element of the supply chain has largely employment for many but how often in the radical PET approach, from a pr
Rachel
emium


Carson
brand,
been ignored as a business opportunity. packaging department? LCM thinking has to challenges the consumer by asking them to
be included in any evaluation of pack system consider the validity of some of their prejudices
Albert Einstein once famously defined insanity sustainability and any decision on introducing about wine in plastic bottles and assumptions
as “doing the same thing over and over again new systems to extend the life of a product. It is about inferior quality. What is the likelihood
and expecting different results”. Perhaps it is here that metaphorically turning things on their that there will soon be a greater shift towards
time to take some of this thinking on board and head may create the breakthrough, generating plastic, as has already started for beer, or
start to evaluate the opportunities presented by significant financial rewards and product life indeed growth in the uptake of the established
adopting and refining the packaging technologies extensions. Wine-in-Box approach?
 October 2007  •  www.agrow.com
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