THE European Flexographic Industry Association (EFIA) has held a breakfast meeting to discuss sustainability challenges facing the sector.
Over 70 delegates attended the Manchester event, which opened with EFIA chairman and MD of Bobst UK, Neil Jones, calling for the flexographic industry to create an action plan to manage the ‘Blue Planet Effect’, which is creating both challenges and opportunities.
Event chair and founder of the Packaging Collective, Sanjay Patel, spoke about the sector’s lack of momentum surrounding sustainability, poor coordination between key stakeholders and the need for more innovation.
Other issues discussed included price points of new packaging materials, the need for recyclers to make money to drive recycling infrastructure improvement, how to improve resource efficiency in the creation of packaging and the need for better awareness around food waste in comparison to packaging waste.
Debbie Waldron-Hoines, EFIA consultant CEO said, “Through much healthy debate, the general consensus amongst delegates was that targeting packaging for change is acceptable if supported by consumer education. A requirement for a ‘North Star’ to lead new strategies, with one voice for the sector, was identified and the Packaging Collective was mentioned as one potential route for this through a partnership with EFIA.
“The event drew to a close with the conclusion that the sector must do more to collaborate, innovate, legislate and educate to ensure the flexographic printing industry continues to keep up with social and market trends in relation to sustainability. We, at EFIA, will do all we can to support our members on this complex issue over the coming months and years.”
