Momentum is rapidly gathering in the campaign to tackle the problem of plastic waste, with serious commitments being made to take steps towards a future free of plastic packaging.

Food packaging is a major part of this with single use plastics in particular being highlighted for their contribution to the mass of plastic waste threatening the world’s environment.

No brand wants to be aligned with images of mounds of plastic waste washing up on shorelines, trapped sea life or birds feeding plastic to their young. No brand should want to be responsible for contributing to the problem either.

The time to act is now

With the sense of urgency now attached to a plastic-free shopping experience, alternative solutions will become more prominent and accessible.

Many alternatives to plastic packaging are already available and it is here that brands who want to be at the frontier of inevitable change can lead the way.

Now is the time to seize the mantel and make an ethical and environmental statement by finding an alternative packaging solution to plastic for your product.

For many brands this switch may mean a new design direction is needed as well as new packaging material. A design agency can help your brand to explore all the options available for plastic-free FMCG by visualising different packaging concepts.

With the more obvious immediate packaging alternatives being paper-based or glass, these materials lend themselves to a very different look and feel. A redesign is essential to bring a new dimension to the look of the product and to ensure it retains its customer base – as well as attracting new buyers.

Visualise change with a brand design agency

For brands that have been reliant on plastic packaging for years the search for an alternative solution might not be easy or straightforward but a design agency can help to visualise this from the outset.

It is certainly a step that needs taking and the time to act is now. Consumer opinion, certainly among a younger generation, is heavily weighted towards ethical choices and the problem of plastic waste will influence buying choice.

While researching the suitability of materials to preserve and protect your product, move forward by visualising that re-packaged product in the market place using early mock-up images created by a design agency.

Don’t be left behind as the market place becomes plastic-free, choose innovation and make sure you have a product that you can be proud of.