Packaging Globalisation – the theme for this years AIP National Conference and drawing from 60 speakers that represented 20 different countries we were truly able to explore many different ways in which packaging is evolving all around the world. What struck me particularly was a topic we were introduced to right at the outset – food waste. To hear Brianna Casey, CEO Foodbank Australia talk about the number of families affected by hunger, whilst as a society we are throwing away close to one third of all the food we produce, really became a theme that I was to come back to many times over the course of the two days.

Within this gathering of packaging experts from around the globe, we had some of the best minds and creators of packaging innovations that have specifically been targeted at saving food. So why is it then that lately we hear of so many consumers complaining about ‘excessive packaging’ particularly with much reporting in the news regarding the strain on package recycling now that China has closed the doors to most of the waste we place in our recycling bins? It occurred to me that we are second to none in educating our industry but without sharing our innovations amongst the wider community, consumers often see packaging as ‘the enemy’ - uninformed about the importance of its fundamental role in protecting the products they buy.

It was enlightening to hear of the successful Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre bid from Assoc. Prof. Karli Verghese FAIP, in which the Australian Institute of Packaging are a core contributor.

The Fight Food Waste CRC aims to tackle food waste, looking at the entire supply chain, through engaging with industry and consumers to deliver behaviour change, so we do have a great opportunity now to drive positive change and the suggestion to identify some packaging industry ‘champions’ to help in this quest is certainly an idea worth exploring.

After all – how could a supermarket even exist without packaging, to say nothing of online food deliveries! After hearing from speakers with a passion for their aspect of packaging - everything from its role in the success of their new product, to sourcing sustainable raw materials and steps to reuse packaging or bring packaging waste into the circular economy, there are so many ways in which we as an industry are collaborating. I have certainly come away from our 2018 conference with a very positive outlook for the next few years.