Page 57 - FoodFocusThailand No.157 April 2019

STRENGTHEN THE PACKAGING

Changes in the Population Structure and reduce plastic packaging such as Tops Daily who has
Thai People’s Lifestyle been giving additional reward points to customers
Changes in the population structure and Thai who refused plastic bag and SCB whose
people’s lifestyle resulted in an increase in campaign is to reduce usage of single-use
demand for flexible plastic packaging that has water bottles by handing out reusable
special properties and is of higher value to bottles to employees.
fundamental plastics EIC recognises that while measures
Important changes include being introduced by both the public and
1) The increased urbanisation private sectors may not have serious
and the increase in income per consequences in the short-term since
capita resulted in higher usage of Thai people use more than 7 billion
packaging products especially plastic bags per year. However, if the
plastic packaging to store food government is able to achieve the
and beverages goal of re-using plastic bag by 60%
2) The expansion of smaller after initial consumption and the
household due to an increase in trend of reducing usage of single-
single and married without child use plastic bag persists, producers of
couples that lead to an increase in single-use plastic packaging such as
demand for individual packaging products carrier bags and water bottle will be
that are suitable for household consumption affected through a significant reduction of
and for travelling usage in the future.
3) The ageing population and the rise of consumers that are
health conscious and are safety aware resulted in the need for There is a Demand in Thailand for the Plastic Film to
plastic packaging that are able to preserve freshness and lengthen Produce Flexible Packaging that has a Higher Value
shelf life of contained products, as well as maintaining food and Currently, Thailand is importing plastic film packaging such as plastic
beverage temperature without contamination from the plastic bag with aseptic aluminium lining that has high value while exporting
packaging. fundamental plastic goods including plastic carrier bag with low added
The three factors mentioned have resulted in the rising demand value. Therefore, when comparing the value of plastic per tonne against
for flexible plastic packaging in Thailand. This is because such a plastic exporters in Asia, which are China, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan,
packaging uses a multilayer film that has an advantage in resisting Indonesia, and Japan, Thailand is severely disadvantaged in the value
heat and high pressure. Furthermore, the labelling can also be of plastic packaging per tonne. Meanwhile, Japan has the highest
printed directly on the product, while the package is also strong, value through exporting plastic film with several layers that can be
convenient for packing goods, can be formed into smaller packaging used in flexible plastic packaging (Figure 2). In this vein, there is an
shapes, and easy to use and to transport such as in the forms of opportunity for producers to develop the market for a plastic film that
stand-up pouches and re-closable packs. can be used for flexible plastic packing that has high demand both
domestically and internationally.
Regulations and Measures being Introduced by the
Government Agencies Innovation will have a Positive Impact in Creating
Regulations and measures being introduced by the government Sustainability in the Plastic Packaging Industry
agencies are important factors contributing to the reduction in usage By creating an innovation for plastic packaging, producers will be able
of fundamental plastic and the increase in the plastic packaging to create a packaging product with a unique selling point that will
re-use. The government has three important and integrative goals contribute to the bottom line in the future. Example of such an innovation
in reducing plastic waste which are that cater for the rising trend of health consciousness includes Active
1) Reducing the volume of plastic to be destroyed Packaging that helps to preserve food quality and lengthen products’
2) Design and produce plastic products that are more shelf-life through oxygen consumption, controlling moisture, and
environmentally friendly consume or produce carbon dioxide based on certain types of bacteria
3) Re-use plastic after consumption by 60% within 2021. or moulds that are release during growth.
In this vein, the government will revisit the concept of collecting Beyond Thailand, other countries have focused on an innovation
taxes or introducing fees associated with the use of plastic packaging that is environmentally-friendly using bio-plastic. The biggest consumer
such as to introduce a plastic bag or packaging tax. Additionally, of this packaging product is Western European Countries. In 2017,
the Pollution Control Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources consumption of bio-plastic in these countries reached 500,000 tonnes,
and Environment has signed an MOU with bottled water producers or half of the total world demand, with an average annual growth
to stop using cap seal with the aim of reducing plastic waste of 520 between 2012-2017 of 18%. The strong growth was attributed to the
tonnes per year, or 260,000 kilometres of waste that could circle support of regulations by the states and the awareness of environmental
the earth 6.5 times, from 1 April 2018. impacts by the population. In this vein, Europe has announced that
Meanwhile, The Department of Medical Services, Ministry of they will stop using single-use plastic within 2025.
Public Health, has also announced that they have stopped using a Based on this evidence, it is high-time for Thai producers to adapt
plastic bag for storing medicines in every unit from 1 October 2018. by using innovation to improve products to satisfying consumers’
This measure will reduce the usage of plastic bags in hospitals demand for flexible plastic packaging and adopting bio-plastic, an
under the department by more than 9 million bags per year. important opportunity in the current trend of sustainable economic
Similarly, the Thai private sector has their own initiatives to growth that is likely to continue.

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