# New ULS Study Shows How Consumers Drive Sustainability, Packaging Trends

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2016/04/new-uls-study-shows-how-consumers-drive-sustainability-packaging-trends/
- Published: 2016-04-20T05:20:08-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

The ULS (Use Less Stuff) Report has published a comprehensive study on packaging
efficiency. Besides providing contemporary results, the research examines trends
in retail packaging since the publication of the original study in 1995 and the 
follow-up in 2006. Entitled A Study of Packaging Efficiency As It Relates to Waste
Prevention, it is available at The ULS Report website, [http://www.use-less-stuff.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20180215105408/http://use-less-stuff.com:80/).

![New uls study shows how consumers drive sustainability packaging trends](https://
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unsplash.jpg?resize=780%2C520&quality=52&ssl=1 "New ULS Study Shows How Consumers
Drive Sustainability, Packaging Trends - The Green Living Guy")

To gauge efficiency, over 300 containers in fifty-six grocery categories were examined.
The purpose was to determine the amount of packaging required to deliver a given
amount of product. The study methodology gave credit for source reduction, recyclability,
and use of recycled materials. The methodology, findings, and conclusions were reviewed
by the Laboratory of Manufacturing and Sustainability (LMAS) at the University of
California, Berkeley.

> According to ULS Report Editor Robert Lilienfeld, “There are three legs on the
> sustainability stool – economic, environmental, and social. The study clearly 
> shows that, over the past 20 years, packaging has evolved to more effectively 
> deliver on these sustainability requirements.”

## **Key learning from the research includes the following:

 1. In line with the EPA’s waste prevention hierarchy, source reduction, or light weighting,
    continues to play a primary role in reducing packaging discards. Therefore, [conserving materials and energy](https://greenlivingguy.com/2012/11/cenergistic-a-new-era-in-energy-conservation/)
    and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Plastics, especially in the form of films
    and flexible pouches, play important roles in significantly reducing discards per
    unit of product delivered.
 2. Recovery for recycling plays an increasingly important role in the effort to reduce
    packaging discards and overall [solid waste](https://greenlivingguy.com/2020/06/creating-power-from-municipal-solid-waste-best-use-of-waste/)
    levels. This is especially true for steel and aluminum cans. Plus, beverage bottles
    made from PETE and HPDE, and glass and paperboard cartons. Professionals recycle
    these materials collectively at a 34.2% rate today, up significantly versus 25.7%
    in 2005. In fact, the level of primary packaging recycling is now equal to the 
    recovery rate for total waste. Moreover, it’s the primary reason that the total
    recovery rate increased from 31.4% in 2005 to 34.3% today.
 3. Social trends towards more active, healthier lifestyles increase the need for products
    that provide convenience and weight control solutions. Resulting packages can lead
    to inefficiencies. That’s because they require smaller sizes or the increased functionality
    needed to deliver ready-to-eat, ready-to-serve, and out-of-home product solutions.

> _Mr. Lilienfeld noted that, “In general, the [environmental impact of food](https://greenlivingguy.com/2021/08/how-the-food-you-eat-affects-the-environment/)
> is up to 10 times greater than the impact of its packaging. So, a bit more portion
> control or ready-to-eat food packaging can actually reduce waste, as these packages
> ensure that the food inside is actually eaten rather than thrown away.”

The ULS (Use Less Stuff) Report ([http://www.use-less-stuff.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20180215105408/http://use-less-stuff.com:80/))
is a leading environmental newsletter and has been published since 1994. Editor 
Bob Lilienfeld is a widely popular authority on waste prevention. He’s the co-author
of the book Use Less Stuff: Environmental Solutions for Who We Really Are.

**_Source: The ULS Report, Contact: Bob Lilienfeld, (BOULDER, CO – JANUARY 21, 2016)_**

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
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