Trend Q&A: How to reduce new plastic packaging and more

Sustainability in consumer packaged goods, strategies for reducing new plastic packaging and the cities to visit for creative inspiration. That and more on today’s episode.

Want to know what’s next? Listen to the show where our experts from around the globe unpack your biggest challenges. This week, WGSN’s President and CEO Carla Buzasi takes us to Frankfurt and London. Hear from the friendly faces of our Sales, Food & Drink and City by City teams.

Watch the full episode below or read on for highlights of this episode:

Q: Is sustainability now more than just a nice to have for consumer packaged goods brands?
“Yes, absolutely. Sustainability has come out of the niche and it’s beginning to evolve into a standard expectation. And that’s not just in the eyes of consumers, but also from the perspective of financial markets.

“For food and drink and beauty retailers, there is a growing risk of being cut off from market funding if they don’t have a credible sustainability strategy. Among other things, this is going to make retailers more picky about who can get shelf space at physical stores and online, and who can supply private labels to them.”
– Boris Planer, Head of Consumer & Market Insight, WGSN
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Q: Beyond reuse and recycling, what are some of the most promising strategies for reducing the amount of new plastic packaging?
“Innovators are looking into the potential of bio-based materials that match the price and performance of conventional oil-based plastics. As the field advances, the focus is increasing around the true sustainability costs and benefits of these materials, including everything from the resources required to create the input for these bio-based materials to their potential for reuse and recycling at their end of lives.”
– Claire Lancaster, Senior Strategist, WGSN Food & Drink
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Q: Which emerging cities should I have on my radar for creative inspiration?
“For interiors and a modern-meets-artisan design, Mexican cities such as Guadalajara have become creative epicentres in the region that’s remained open even during the pandemic. In Thailand, Chiang Mai is emerging as a strong cultural city with a flourishing local arts and food scene. And in Africa, we’re tracking the rise of cities such as Nairobi in Kenya, which combines an epic natural scenery with buzzing street markets.”
– Joanna McGinn, Senior Strategist, WGSN City by City
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