Well, it's 2020. I believe we are finally starting to see more awareness and a growing movement limiting the abundant use of plastic.

Plastics really took off in the 1960s when polyethylene became used widely in everything from hula hoops to saran wrap. Nowadays, across the country and the world there is an awareness of plastics detriment. Plastic shopping bags are being banned, drinking establishments serve a variety of different straws and plastic water bottles are outlawed and shunned.

This appears to be a multi-generational effort. At the older end … I’m rarely seen without my stainless water bottle that keeps my water chilled and has my favorite Cape Cod establishments and fly-fishing gear stickers on the outside! Seriously, though, there has to be an acknowledgment and understanding that our current course of action requires immediate mitigation. Our collective impact on the world's environment is catastrophic and daunting. I’ve seen firsthand the littered shorelines with miles of washed-up plastic here on Cape Cod and in very remote parts of the globe.

So, what does this mean for the meat business? What alternative innovations are there, if any, to help reduce this impact? This is something I think about each time I develop new products. How will this be packaged and presented to the consumer for use? Every trip to the grocery store it amazes me how much plastic is a part of our everyday lives. From the produce aisle, meat coffins and virtually every shelf in every aisle is filled with mostly inexpensive non-biodegradable plastic.

When I was engaged with corporate America, I would travel throughout Europe to see what was currently trending and being used in grocery and retail stores. I would end up at the World-wide Anuga Food Fair in Germany to see what new packaging was being introduced. Most cutting-edge technology on packaging seems to be coming from across the pond. Much of it starts out too expensive to be a viable solution. I still haven’t seen anything that can change this issue. The answer is not having everyone go to the meat counter and have their purchase wrapped in paper. That’s just not going to happen.

I have to believe some of the smartest people are out there coming up with something brilliant. In the meantime, I will not buy prepackaged veggies and will go to the meat counter or buy locally as much as possible.

My query this week is: Do you know of or have you seen any new innovating packaging that can help this situation?

Live well...

What's wrapping your meat?

Join for free* to continue reading.