🎙️ About the Episode
In this must-listen episode, The Label King, Adam Peek, welcomes Tom Stone, Senior Packaging Development Controller at Bakkavor, one of the world’s largest fresh prepared food manufacturers.
The conversation pivots from the emotional narrative of sustainability to the objective data required for real-world change. Tom shares insights from the UK, which is ahead of the curve on legislation like the Plastics Tax and EPR, and explains how global businesses are navigating the challenges of food waste, material science, and future-proofing their brands against constantly changing regulations.
This is critical listening for anyone in the CPG, fresh food, or packaging development industries, especially those who need to understand how UK/EU lessons apply to the evolving US market.
🔑 Key Takeaways You Will Learn
The Big Picture on Food Waste: Why food spoilage is arguably a greater environmental problem than many packaging choices, and how the industry must balance consumer demands with the reality of shelf-life extension.
UK’s Legislative Head Start: A breakdown of the impact of the UK’s Plastic Tax and the upcoming Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, and how this is forcing a methodological, data-driven approach to packaging development.
The Future-Proofing Strategy: How Bakkavor uses a holistic assessment process—analyzing material, production, transit, and disposal—to create packaging formats that are aesthetically pleasing without compromising recyclability or increasing food waste.
Data Over Dogma: Why packaging developers must be brutally honest and transparent about the pros and cons of any material switch to ensure the business makes a decision based on objective data, not just public opinion.
US Market Application: How global learning can be applied to the US market, where EPR is taking hold state-by-state, and why this is an opportunity to elevate the aesthetics of US retail packaging.
🔗 Connect With Our Guest
Tom Stone
LinkedIn: Link
👑 Connect With Your Host
Adam Peek
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adampeek
TikTok: @thelabelking
