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TECHNOLOGY REPORT










































      It’s not easy being green







                                W             hile the majority do right by the con-  logistics before addressing items like instruction leaflets


                                              cept, there are those that profess to
                                                                            which are already highly controlled.”
                                                                             The consumer packaging sector faces particular scru-
                                              being kind to the environment, but in
       Being ‘green’ is the                   reality are really only paying lip ser-  tiny. Here Harris draws attention to Unilever that, he
       mantra of those who                    vice.                         says, has “committed to calculating product carbon foot-
                                                                            prints across its entire packaging range; a massive under-
       care about the            Consider McDonald’s which, in 2019, introduced   taking covering 32,000 product lines”. Worryingly, he
       planet. However, it’s    paper straws that turned out to be non-recyclable. Then   finds trade shows and exhibitions often reveal the extent
       also on the agenda of    there was Ryanair that, in 2020, was called out by the   of the problem “with numerous stands promoting sup-
       organisations seek-      Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over false low-  posedly ‘green’ print. While some can substantiate these
       ing to increase their    emission claims. And more recently, Anglian Water was   claims, many likely cannot”.
       appeal and by exten-     hauled over the coals by the ASA over the concealment of   CarbonQuota collaborates with, as Harris says,
       sion, profits.           its pollution record.                       “numerous print houses that embrace product-by-prod-
                                                                            uct carbon footprint services”. Standout examples for
                                Greenwashing in print is widespread         him in POS alone include Kolorkraft, Augustus Martin,
       Words by                  But we’re concerned with print, and Dominic Harris,   and McGowans; and in the materials space, companies
       Adam Bernstein           co-founder of CarbonQuota, thinks that ‘greenwashing’   like Eikon, Berger and Solar Screen which is “gaining a
                                in the sector is widespread and hasn’t significantly   competitive advantage by demonstrating a comprehen-
                                improved in years. And he says this even though he notes   sive understanding of their environmental impact”.
                                that major brands typically prioritise sustainability efforts
                                on printed products with the highest environmental   AI catches out advertisers
                                impact. “For instance,” he says, “a company like Lego will   And it’s all becoming more interesting, especially
                                focus first on large point-of-sale materials, packaging, and   where firms market products through advertising,


      26 PrintWeek MENA July 2025                                                                 www.printweekmena.com
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