Based on the same principle as energy indicators for electrical equipment or food nutrition, the British paper and cardboard packaging producer DS Smith is now displaying a "circular ecoscore". This indicator will enable brands to assess the degree of recyclability of packaging and compare the environmental performance of different solutions.
The circular ecoscore groups together eight ecological criteria on a single graph: supply chain optimization, recyclability, preservation of the planet, carbon footprint, source of renewable material, recycled material, use of material and design adapted to reuse.
With this new tool, companies should have a clear vision of the environmental impact of the packaging they put on the market.
The paper group unveiled its circular design principles in 2020, in collaboration with the UK charity Ellen MacArthur Foundation. A year later, DS Smith trained its 700 packaging designers on the principles of circular design.
"The design phase has a huge impact on how products - including packaging - are made, used and what happens to them after they are used, says Joe Iles, Circular Design Manager at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. DS Smith's circular design measures are a key step in the transition to a more circular economy.
