Same Content, less Packaging

The main task of packaging is and remains to protect contents from deterioration and damage. But product packaging can still be designed in a green way. This reduces waste volumes and climate emissions. Migros adopted a new packaging concept in 2009, which sets out the avoid - reduce - recycle principle. By 2013, the retailer aims to reduce the packaging pollution of the 250 most frequently sold products by 10 per cent. In the first phase of the ambitious project, Migros examined the packaging of the 50 most frequently sold products of a certain range. In doing so, various areas of action were identified: abandoning double packaging, use of more recycling material for PET and cardboard packaging, reduction of material quantity thanks to thinner packaging, use of paper and cardboard packaging from sustainable forestry (FSC), green materials and optimised seals.

Gradual optimisation
Migros plans to ecologically improve at least one packaging per quarter and range. In 2010 initial success was achieved with PET packaging. Aproz, the drinks manufacturer, used approx. 1'600 tonnes of recycled PET materials (RPET). Two thirds of a PET mineral water bottle now consists of recycled material. By using recycled materials in various cleaning agents and Migros ice tea bottles, consumption of new plastic materials was also reduced by about 12 tonnes per year. Glass packaging also became more sustainable: by cutting back on material, Migros reduced the packaging weight of Favorit and Léger jam by an annual total of some 120 tonnes. Less transport packaging for Mifloc mashed potatoes yielded a saving of 32 tonnes of cardboard per year. All these measures affected neither the function nor the appearance of the packaging. But they make all the difference to the environment.