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How Might Plastic-Free Packaging Impact Production Based Jobs?

Did you know that July is ‘Plastic Free’ month? This is no surprise, given the fact the reduction of plastic is one of the most talked about topics in the media at the moment. This has led to supermarkets and food suppliers aiming to reduce their use of plastic over the coming years and it’s therefore important that we talk about the consequences the use of plastic packaging is having on our planet but also how this might impact production lines for manufacturing businesses.

Since David Attenborough’s recent episodes of ‘Blue Planet’, it is estimated that around 53% of people report being consciously using less plastic. His evidence and disheartening footage of the state of our oceans has proven to be a powerful tool in getting us to understand the impact and is subsequently changing the way many people think about plastic and how we dispose of it.

Some of the biggest supermarkets in the UK are now promising to replace plastic packaging on fruit and vegetables and gradually introduce plastic-free products. However, could this potentially lead to cutbacks on job roles within the manufacturing sector? Will a reduction in packaging result in fewer workers required on production lines? Or could this actually lead to new roles as manufacturing companies look at new, alternative techniques to replace plastic packaging?

Importantly, whilst there is a natural concern of keeping food manufacturers thriving in this time of change, we must consider the wider impact this is having on our planet. After all, if we want it to survive then taking care of how we package our foods will be the least of our worries!

Here at Westray, we work closely with numerous food manufacturers and will be interested to see how the production line will change in the future!

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