Enhancing packaging’s role in reducing food waste is the next challenge for packaging technologists, designers, and engineers. 

This four-year project developed save food packaging design criteria and communication materials. The criteria and communication material is expected to lead to better packaging design, material selection and format selection using appropriate portioning, sealability, resealability features, date labelling, extend shelf life and provide the information required to assist retail, food service and consumers to minimise food waste. 

Thus, the project has aimed to provide industry with access to guidelines and tools to assist them in their design, selection, and use of packaging materials for food.

The purpose of the criteria is to align terminology between and across academic and industry fields of practice and increase awareness of the available strategies afforded to all Australian Food Packaging industry members; key stakeholders include CEOs, marketers, designers, packaging technologists, retailers, and consumers. 

The development of the criteria was founded on synthesised research reviewed across academic peer-reviewed articles, globally recognised reports, and Australian Packaging bodies that promote mitigating food waste through packaging strategies. A PhD project was also embedded into the project, providing deeper insight into packaging opportunities specific to reducing household food waste. The criteria is accompanied by communication materials such as case studies and training course materials. These materials have been presented across a range of industry seminars, workshops, conferences and training courses in Australia and around the world.