If you find cereal boxes appealing to be used as packing materials, you are not alone since boxes are quite popular in most households due to their packaging of breakfast foods. But, their impact on the environment is most of the time not recognized. There is always concern for ease of use and the brand name when selecting the materials by the manufacturers which often are not environment friendly. Since people are becoming aware of the impacts on the environment through such aspects as sustainability, there is a need to look at the impact that the packaging of cereal has on the environment.
Also, we will expound on new methods of packaging that can be employed in the effort to minimize wastage and bring down the carbon footprint that pertains to packaged cereals. This is why it is quite important to look at the environmental impacts that cereal packaging has so we can make the right decisions that would benefit the environment in the future and preserve the environment for future generations.
Types of Packaging Materials
The most common material that is used to produce cereal packaging boxes is that of cardboard which in turn is gotten from trees. However, cardboard is recyclable therefore the consequences of deforestation and energy consumed in the production process should be taken into consideration. These effects can be managed through, affirmative sourcing, but many organizations continue to apply conventional methods that cause negative impacts on the environment.
Recycling Challenges
Several hurdles may come with recycling custom cereal packaging boxes. Some of the cereal boxes are laminated with thin plastic to enhance durability and resistance to moisture. This layer further makes the process of recycling cumbersome for the facilities in the sense that they find it hard to separate the materials. As a result, a large proportion of cereal boxes contributes to the growing landfill problem with cereal boxes taking up much space in the landfills.
Eco Conscious Packaging
There are therefore many advantages of going for the eco-friendly cereal packaging. Sustainable packaging mostly entails consuming less material to manufacture the packaging thus cutting on the amount of carbon emissions in the manufacturing of cereals. Furthermore, adopting sustainable standard can improve a firm’s brand image since it will appeal to a right kind of market, the environmental conscious market.
Innovations in Packaging Design
Conventional packaging of cereals such as mini cereal boxes has been experiencing certain environmental problems and coming up with innovative packaging is coming up as an answer to these problems. For instance, brands today are investing in no-trace packaging, biodegradable packagings, and designs that make packaging recyclable. Innovations such as these can go a long way toward minimizing waste and promoting consumers’ responsible purchase habits.
Influence of Single Porosity
Cookies-in-a-minute may be convenient for a single person to use when having cereal, but what we end up with is individual cereal boxes with more waste. Serving packages prove to be quite problematic in terms of production and disposal since they are specifically designed to only serve a single use. According to the populace that is consuming products, there is need to ensure convenience by the brand while at the same time ensuring that its impact on the environment is negligible.
Small Packaging Solutions
Small cereal boxes are for the most part a mixed blessing Small cereal boxes are a mixed blessing because; On one side they serve portion control and minimizing wastage, on the other side their manufacturing results in substantial wastage of packaging material. To offset this problem, consumers can be persuaded to buy more quantities of their products in packages that are friendlier to the environment while at the same time not being too cumbersome.
Custom Packaging
Today, since there are tough competitions between the brands, more and more brands are choosing to have custom cereal boxes. However, this customization often makes use of materials and inks that are not biodegradable hence posing a threat to the environement. While brands have realised that bespoke designs add value to their products, giving them a competitive edge, they have to balance between making distinctive designs and their corporate social responsibility to incorporate sustainable features.
Blank Boxes
The use of blank cereal boxes for branding is a great idea because of the following reasons: There is no need for a lot of printing on the boxes and still it gives a perfect branding surface. These boxes can therefore be branded using environment friendly ink and material thus enabling businesses retain their brand when adopting the green concept.
The Future of Packaging
Along the same line, consumers demand cereal packaging boxes, and thus the future of cereal boxes is anchored in demands for innovation. With the increase in emphasis on preservation of the environment, firms will have to look for ways of packaging their products to suit these requirements. Cereal industry should embrace the use of environmental friendly materials and practices with an aim of improving the health of the environment. If you are interested in premium box packaging knowing the different features of boxes will assist in providing the right choice to further help your brand.
Conclusion
Consequently, it can be stated that the impact of the Cereal Boxes on the environment is a potentially massive problem. When considering the materials used in production of cereal packaging, the processes used in production of the packaging and subsequent disposal, several areas for improvement come to light. Switching to environmentally safer materials is something of advantage to the companies, brand image, and customer expectations. As the world shifts to be more sustainable, it’s time for the cereal manufacturers and eaters to choose packaging wisely. Together, we make the world they want and the world that is sustainable and safe for further generations.
