Eco-Friendly Packaging For Whole Foods' PL

CHRISTINE BLANK

ORLANDO, Fla. — Whole Foods Market's store-brand packages are getting a green makeover.

“We are really moving toward making sure every product [package] is recyclable or compostable,” said Fabian DeGarbo, Whole Foods' new sustainability packaging program manager for private label. He spoke here during IntertechPira's Sustainability in Packaging conference earlier this month.

DeGarbo took on responsibility for evaluating materials used to package products that bear the 365 Everyday Value and 365 Everyday Organic labels when he assumed his role last month. The lines feature foods that are free from artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners and hydrogenated fats.

Much of DeGarbo's initial efforts are focused on evaluating the paperboard materials and suppliers currently used for packaging products in the store-brand lines.

“I'm looking to see if we can use more innovative materials … [such as] 100% post-consumer recycled paper.”

The retailer has made inroads with innovative materials elsewhere in its operation.

For instance, after shoppers complained that Whole Foods was distributing plastic forks in its delis, the retailer began sourcing biodegradable forks made from potatoes.

DeGarbo conceded that costs associated with the compostable forks are higher, but the retailer keeps them low by leveraging economies of scale.

Whole Foods weighs environmental demands against business drivers on a case-by-case basis, DeGarbo related.

In fact, on first evaluation, the potato forks proved to be too cost-prohibitive to justify the investment, said DeGarbo. They were priced at $60 per case, compared with the $12 per case cost of plastic forks.

At the time, Whole Foods executives decided it would be better to put the money saved toward another of the chain's green initiatives, noted DeGarbo.

The price of the forks has since come down.

DeGarbo is impressed with packaging manufacturers' ability to develop innovative new materials, but he recognized that there is room for improvement.

“In the future, I expect better performance, lower cost and increased manufacturing of plastics from non-GMO [genetically modified organism] sources,” DeGarbo said.

Biodegradable packaging containers made from corn may or may not contain GM corn, since GM commodities aren't segregated from conventional counterparts. Still, alternatives are available.

Whole Foods recently began using all-natural fiber packaging at its salad and food bars. Signs posted in the areas let shoppers know: “Our new to-go containers are made from the natural fibers of sugar cane pulp, corn starch, cattails, asparagus, tapioca root and bamboo.” The fibers for the new containers come from plants that are cultivated or grow wild and are harvested annually. The packages degrade in 90 days into compost.

Whole Foods will also end the use of disposable plastic grocery bags at the checkouts in all of its 270 stores in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Its goal is to be plastic-bag-free by April 22, Earth Day. The retailer will continue to offer 100% recycled paper grocery bags.

Last year, the Austin, Texas-based retailer became the first and only chain in North America to offer recycled paper grocery bags made with 100% recycled fiber content. The bags themselves are completely recyclable.

“We realize there are many more steps to take, and we recognize it's an ongoing process to provide as much Earth-friendly packaging as possible,” A.C. Gallo, co-president and chief operating officer for Whole Foods Market, said earlier this year in a statement. “We will continue to evaluate each department within our stores as we seek to continually improve.”

DeGarbo recognizes that consumer demand for products and packaging that support a green lifestyle is substantial.

“People want to be able to tell you their eco-status,” he said. “It's just like people driving around in a [Toyota] Prius. They're trying to say, ‘My carbon footprint is smaller than yours.’”

Twenty-one percent of consumers plan to calculate their carbon footprint this year, DeGarbo added. He did not specify the survey's source.

DeGarbo also cited Tesco's commitment to labeling every product with its respective carbon footprint. He believes that more retailers may latch onto the trend, but he didn't reveal Whole Foods' intentions.