PLAY AUDIO GUIDE

Packaging today fulfills a very important role, going beyond the simple function of containing food, preserving it and identifying its contents. Indeed, in recent decades it has become a true silent salesman, able to communicate in order to stand out and attract the right target group of consumers.

Aesthetics, materials and opening systems are studied in detail to gain a competitive edge and the company’s ability to identify the correct message becomes an integral part of its strategy.

The international regulatory system lays down precise rules concerning the essential elements to be included on the packaging: product name, ingredients, quantity, expiry date, manufacturer, storage method, place of origin, minimum durability date, and nutrition declaration. This ensures that clear and accurate information is provided, enabling consumers to navigate and compare products based on their characteristics and properties.

Optional information is provided on a voluntary basis but must possess specific characteristics: it should not mislead the consumer, nor be ambiguous or confusing, and must be based on relevant scientific data.

Today, “Green Claims”, ethical assertions of sustainability, are widespread. Two studies of the European Commission, in 2014 and 2020, showed that of 150 environmental claims, 53% were vague, misleading and unfounded. Discouraging results which revealed, among other things, a lack of consumer confidence. Thus, in the spring of this year, the European Commission finally published a proposal for a Directive on Green Claims with the aim of making claims reliable, comparable and verifiable; protecting consumers from greenwashing; enabling consumers to make informed purchasing decisions; and helping to establish a level playing field regarding the environmental impacts of products.

The proposal is pending approval but will come into force from 2026.

This is a fundamental step to foster a real awareness among consumers and companies of their role in the green transition.

CREDITs

© Illustrazione Bollettino di Elena di Capita

© Fotografie esposte di Stefania Giorgi

© Fotografie Stanze di Andrea Lops