Fact or Fable? Packaging Myths Under the Microscope (Part 1)

Packaging is part of everyday life – and for that very reason, it is the subject of many misconceptions. Whether tethered caps, plastic consumption, waste glass or food packaging: three experts examine common packaging myths and show where opinion ends and facts begin.

Illustration of packaging myths: A magnifying glass enlarges a plastic bottle with a question mark, surrounded by recycled cardboard, plastic waste, glass packaging and symbols for the environment and the circular economy. — Packaging myths are persistent – but a closer look reveals where facts, the circular economy and consumer perception diverge.

“Packaging is like football,” says Sebastian Klaus, Professor of Packaging Technology at Berlin University of Applied Sciences (BHT): “There are 80 million national coaches. Just the same, everyone believes they know about packaging. Yet with packaging especially, knowledge is often confused with opinion.” Which typical packaging myths are particularly widespread or persistent – and what does reality look like? We've consulted three experts and asked them to set the record straight. As the myths surrounding packaging are numerous, we've made two articles out of it. We'll bring Part 2 in our next issue.

Tethered caps are annoying and useless

Tethered caps have caused a great deal of bad feeling amongst consumers from the very start. ”They're annoying and no better for the environment,“ goes the common opinion. Sonja Bähr is Director of Business Development at Berndt+Partner Creality (BPC) and has nearly 30 years of industry experience. Her view on tethered caps: ”The attached caps make a huge contribution to a functioning circular economy.”

Sonja Bähr, Director Business Development at Berndt+Partner Creality (BPC), brings nearly three decades of experience in packaging technology, industrial engineering and sustainable packaging innovation. — Sonja Bähr is a trained packaging technologist and industrial engineer with almost three decades of experience in the packaging industry. She works as Director Business Development at Berndt+Partner Creality (BPC), an agency specializing in packaging design, innovation and sustainability.

In detail, the qualified packaging technologist and industrial engineer explains: ”By now, everyone has probably got used to them and there are already many different technological solutions for how plastic screw caps can remain permanently attached to PET bottles or beverage cartons. Granted, there are still people today who proudly resist and attack the tethered cap with scissors or a knife to expose the bottle neck. But this type of single-material collection ensures one of the best and most reliable sources for obtaining recyclate for reuse in food packaging. After shredding, the PET from the bottle and the HDPE from the cap are separated by material type using the float-sink process and can be used again for food contact materials after extensive hygienic treatment. By attaching the caps, they qualify for high-quality reuse; otherwise they would only go into lower-grade applications like park benches from mixed packaging waste collection. My conclusion: Tethered caps are definitely better for a well-functioning circular economy and closing the resource gap in recyclate supply.”

Environmental protection through bottle ashtrays

Well-intentioned, but an own goal: When smokers don't want to dispose of their cigarette butts in the natural environment at outdoor parties, that's commendable. But when an empty bottle has to serve as an ashtray, the plan backfires. Flora Fliegner, packaging engineer, CEO and founder of consultancy pack3 GmbH, points this out: ”When these bottles end up in the bottle bank, it's not just annoying – it's a real problem for recycling. Because when the bottles break with cigarette butts inside, the contents spread everywhere. Cigarettes are toxic hazardous waste; they contain nicotine, tar and heavy metals. These substances have to be removed from the waste glass again in extremely elaborate processes. This makes the entire recycling process slower, more expensive and less efficient. As a result, high recycling rates become much harder to achieve and the environment is unnecessarily burdened.”

Portrait of Sebastian Klaus, Professor of Packaging Technology in Department V – Life Sciences and Technology at Berliner Hochschule für Technik (BHT). — Sebastian Klaus is Professor of Packaging Technology in Department V – Life Sciences and Technology at Berlin University of Applied Sciences (BHT) and runs the YouTube channel ”VerpackungsProf”.

We're using ever more plastics

An extremely widespread assumption amongst consumers is that we're using ever more plastic for packaging. ”That's simply not true,“ says Sebastian Klaus, Professor of Packaging Technology at Berlin University of Applied Sciences (BHT). ”In private consumption, we're at the same per capita level as 2010. The impression that we're using ever more plastics for packaging comes from constantly comparing today's figures with those from the 1990s. But that's misleading. If we followed this logic, we could also say that the German economy is doing brilliantly because GDP is much higher than in 1990. However, that ignores a whole range of important factors. And it's the same with plastic packaging. We find higher quantities on the shelves due to changed consumer behaviour, but we need far less plastic today for the same application than before. Looking at the private end-consumer sector, according to Federal Environment Agency figures and measured by plastic packaging waste generated for disposal, we had per capita consumption of 23.4 kilograms in 2010 and were at 22.9 kilograms in 2023. The claim that we're using ever more plastics for packaging is therefore incorrect and unfair. Behind this lies political pressure, because there needs to be justification for the constantly growing taxes and burdens on plastics.”

Cheese and meat should be repackaged

A well-meaning piece of advice that's still encountered goes: cheese and meat should be repackaged into your own containers after shopping. Behind this advice usually lies the desire to be hygienically on the safe side. Unfortunately, this leads to making things worse. Flora Fliegner: ”Cheese and meat bought in sealed trays or tubular bags (flow packs) are optimally protected hygienically by vacuum or protective atmosphere. No personal container can achieve this. As long as the original packaging is unopened, this protection remains intact.”

Fishing plastic from the oceans solves the problem

That would be nice, but it's not a solution. Environmental pollution in the oceans and on land isn't solved by starting projects to collect and recycle the plastic packaging found there. While this is a good thing in itself, at the bottom line it remains ”a question of quantity and quality,“ says Sonja Bähr. ”Simply not all plastic waste found in the environment on land and at sea can be collected and processed into reusable material. Unfortunately, these are just the famous drops in the ocean. They're good in specific cases, but usually can't be more than showcase projects that can't be carried out on a large, industrial scale. Ultimately, this isn't desirable either if it sends the wrong signal. Don't worry, be irresponsible and just throw your rubbish anywhere – that's not a message that should arise.”

Author: Christian Nink, Freelance Jouranlist