Brands talk sustainability but stumble at the course

Consumers are more vocal about environment-friendly packaging and products but in India, it is still a premium play for brands

The global signals on sustainability have been blinking red for a while, forcing brands to pay heed and rethink their approach towards manufacturing, marketing and packaging. Preservation of the environment is a conversation no one, especially companies, can afford to overlook. But in India, the talk around the environment, even among the global labels, is still to move beyond the marketing and promotional literature. Be it annual diaries and calendars printed on recycled paper or driving corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds into tree-planting drives, experts and product designers believe that the gap between promise and action is still a big one.

Globally the push towards sustainability is stronger, forcing brands to act. Greenpeace’s recent feud with Coca-Cola Company about plastic bottles not only compelled Coke into promising to recycle its bottles but also led to fast food giants McDonald's and Dunkin Donuts pledging to switch to more eco-friendly packaging by eliminating Styrofoam cups.

While McDonald's has promised that by 2025, all of its packaging will be made from recycled, renewable or certified sources, the only impact that has been seen in India so far has been the switch to reusable plastic glasses from the previously disposable ones in limited outlets. The global picture sees environment-friendly packaging slowly progressing towards the mainstream, in India, however, it still remains a niche. Inadequacy in government incentives and control, public indifference and lack of viable and affordable eco-friendly alternatives are some of the major hurdles to eco-friendly packaging, say industry experts.

“While minimizing ecological damage is everyone’s responsibility, companies often leverage their environment-friendly measures for their own good and use it to gain market advantage from a commercial angle,” said designer Dev Kabir Malik who runs a design firm that has worked on the identity design for Bira beer.

Dipendra Baoni, managing director and co-founder, Lemon Design that has worked on the Book my show brand, says, “It is often a marketing gimmick. Majority of clients only opt for eco-friendly alternatives because it gives them a marketing advantage.” Sustainability serves as a means of gaining a premium edge over rivals at the marketplace, experts say.

Consumers are also responsible for the poor response from brands say, experts. “A negligible percentage of consumers show any concern about eco-friendly packaging and even lesser numbers would be willing to compromise on shelf-life or price to support it,” said Ashwini Deshpande, co-founder and director, Elephant Design.

To an extent, Indian consumers are sharply focused on the price-environment equation even though global surveys show that people are more willing to pay more for sustainable products. “Eco-friendly alternatives have to not only give a company market advantage but also be comparative in price,” said Malik adding that feasibility and cost-effectiveness are major factors.  “Eco-friendly alternatives often cost you more, certification requires further cost, time and effort. There is also a lack of ethical understanding in our country, most companies want to squeeze a buck in,” said Baoni.

The other challenge is the lack of access to appropriate technology and materials that could help brands make the switch. Desphande from Elephant Design that has worked with several brands on their identity and design says: “While it is very easy to ask why large brands don’t switch to eco-friendly packaging, the fact remains that there are no eco-friendly materials or inks or processes available that can support high impact,large-scalee, high-speed manufacturing at price-parity yet.”

Experts said that sustainable packaging is only a concern when it comes to premium high-end products and remains a niche.  Baoni said that eco-friendly materials are not as ubiquitous and require a lot more effort and thought. He further added that eco- friendly packaging also double as an added story for organic products. Tea companies like Chai Point and Chaayos have opted for biodegradable packaging and formed a niche for themselves.

Designers say that a lot of factors determine if packaging is eco-friendly not just the material used.  Paperboard, for instance, does not use recyclable packaging material. However, its design minimises waste and results in a smaller carbon footprint. With lack of government involvement and public disinterest, environment-friendly packaging becomes an owner’s debt, say experts. Designers said that most of them try to push their clients towards eco-friendly alternative but agree that there needs to be push from the authorities to make it a norm. “An assertive intervention by the government with some rebates towards sustainable packaging materials may help change the mindset and landscape, said Deshpande.