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Episode details

World Service,10 Apr 2025,26 mins

The packaging problem

The Food Chain

Available for over a year

As plastic waste continues to pile up, Ruth Alexander explores how manufacturers, retailers, and designers are rethinking the way our food is packaged. We hear how shoppers are responding to eco-conscious packaging in Finland, from supermarket manager Markku Hautala. And is plastic really the enemy? Paul Jenkins, founder of a leading packaging consultancy, shares the latest innovations in sustainable design, and why some materials aren’t always what they seem. Rhea Singhal, CEO of India’s first fully compostable packaging company, discusses the realities of creating truly sustainable alternatives—and whether they’re enough. And the head of a German frozen food company, Felix Ahlers, explains why his company ditched all additives – packaging included – for the sake of the environment.

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