On the one hand, promoting eco-innovation through the training and development of our teams in sustainability criteria in all phases of the product life cycle. The training sessions were aimed at designing innovative packaging solutions by reducing weight and/or volume without compromising on the design and quality of the products. We carried out different actions, including:
- Annual R&D meeting, inviting industry leaders to share experiences of their projects and create synergies with our company.
- Packaging School event in which leading experts in this field participated and various sustainability and circular economy initiatives, both internal and external, were presented with the aim of inspiring the technical teams.
- Workshops with the brand teams in which they were encouraged to think about how to design products applying the principles of the circular economy.
On the other hand, searching more intensely for solutions to reduce the use of plastic in the coffret trays, leading us to act on different lines.
- We continued our collaboration with ITENE7 to adopt new measures for reducing the amount of plastic by introducing an additive in the thermoformed trays without losing their physical and aesthetic characteristics. With this collaboration we have managed to reduce a total of 38.6 tons of plastic since 2016 (-13% of the plastic in the trays). In addition, we carried out a study on replacing the plastic trays of some brands with recyclable and biodegradable cardboard trays (100% virgin paper pulp). In 2020 we will carry out a pilot test so that we can subsequently plan their implementation in the coming years.
- In parallel, we worked on the integration of recycled PET in these trays, an innovation that was applied in 85 products and meant an increase in the proportion of recycling of 30%. We hope to reach 90% in 2020.
During 2019 an in-depth investigation was carried out on new ingredients, materials and suppliers. We incorporated new raw materials of plant and/or natural origin, which allowed us to design formulas and products that adapt to current standards and the demands of our consumers. In tertiary packaging, we replaced some materials with more sustainable alternatives: in GWP8 we substituted polyethylene bags (81%) and silica gel bags (76%) for more sustainable options, and in the point-of-sale material we replaced the foam corners with cardboard wedges.
In addition, we carried out a study on the use of biodegradable or bio-based plastic, as well as an analysis of recyclable and recycled materials in different product categories: foam, polyester and metals. In our search for more environmentally friendly materials and raw materials, we approved new suppliers, to ensure that our value chain promotes sustainability in all its phases.
We continued working on the implementation of the White Book of Materials and Their Processes and updating the Watch List in accordance with new trends and demands, both legislative and those of the market and consumer.
Our effort and commitment was channeled through two additional projects:
- Analysis of the environmental impact of some projects in the initial design phase, in the definition of components and in the selection of materials, in terms both of the formulation and of the packaging, with the aim of detecting eventual improvements in our environmental performance. The quantitative analysis allowed us to assess the different alternatives continuously and choose the most sustainable option.
- During the launch of the Pacollection (Paco Rabanne) we set up an initiative to promote the return of packaging by the consumer. This action was complemented with a study on more sustainable packaging alternatives right from design stage.
Aware that consumers are the ultimate decision makers during the purchase and in order to determine loyalty in their consumption habits and their sensitivity towards sustainability, in 2019 we held, with the help of an external consultant, a discussion seminar on the trends and the future of the sector.
7 Technological Institute of Packaging, Transport and Logistics (ITENE, according to its acronym in Spanish).
8 Gift with purchase.