by Mary Ann Mcgivern

Created on: November 17, 2009

Fifty years ago, candy companies made indestructible wrappers so that when a consumer got a candy bar from a machine and threw the wrapper on the ground, that wrapper served as a product advertisement for a week.

Now fast food companies brag that their packaging is biodegradable and won't contribute to litter. It's a response to criticism of litter and an attempt to reposition these firms as socially conscious.

At the opposite end of the packaging spectrum, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals have added a seal across the mouth of the bottle or a cellophane wrap around the bottle neck to protect the integrity of the package and ensure public safety. Yes, the extra packaging does increase public safety. It also adds to the image that the pharmaceuticals are protecting their customers.

Breakfast cereals highlight vitamin content on the box now, demonstrating their concern for society's health. Many products announce they are fat free or trans-fat free. Not all these claims are true but they are an attempt to influence brand image.

More complex are the pictures on the boxes of different races of children eating cereal, and women as well as men presented as sports champions. Bringing home boxes to put on our breakfast tables with pictures of people who look different that us fosters significant changes in society's consciousness. But it is not clear that the companies' motivation is social consciousness or that their intent is to change society. Companies have figured out that people of color shop too and that women like to see women as well as men depicted as sports heroes.

Many of the packaging changes benefit the environment and are recognized by consumers as beneficial. Wine bottles use plastic corks that save the cork trees. Wine even comes in boxes, easier to recycle than glass. These changes were originally cost-cutting measures. Plastic corks are cheaper. Wine is easier to ship and store in boxes. Nonetheless, the new packaging reduces waste and helps Mother Earth. Whether it is the company's intent to be socially conscious or not, reduced waste benefits the environment and customers notice.

The result has been a positive feedback loop that has led to more deliberate packaging decisions. Some printer cartridges are packaged with self-addressed return envelopes to encourage recycling. Styrofoam is being replaced with plastic bubbles. Egg cartons are recyclable.

What started as responsible business practice to reduce waste has become a sign of responsible, socially conscious companies.

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