Reducing single use packaging pollution

Loadhog has been challenging the reusable packaging industry with sustainable designs for 16 years, reporting its best year in 2017, achieving sales turnover of £9.5 million representing 26% growth. Although the market is growing with this new found awareness, more can be done by businesses to remove damaging resources from their supply chain by re-inventing how they produce, package and sell products.

According to WRAP, 60% of stretch wrap applications within food and drink are still carried out manually, which is typically less efficient than wrapping machines. The Loadhog Pallet Lid is even more efficient and was designed to eradicate the need for stretch wrapping, with the UK market committing 220,000 tonnes of stretch wrap to landfill when the original product was launched back in 2003. 

More recently the swap-out scheme, in which Loadhog takes a company’s old containers, recycles them in-house and then moulds a new design, was utilised by the global sports retailer Decathlon. The business approached Loadhog with the need for a new Collapsible Container design with benefits and features that suited its operation. Furthermore, Decathlon requested that the container be made from recycled material but remain robust enough to withstand the harsh environment of its distribution networks. This container, along with a fully re-usable, collapsible and stackable plastic packaging system, is being used today throughout Decathlon’s worldwide supply chain.

From these promotional incentives Loadhog has experienced increased investment in reprocessed material with 50% of the plastic used within their production last year being recycled. This supports the company’s environmental commitment which is mirrored internally through a dedicated and controlled life cycle perspective.