Target says that, as part of its sustainability commitment, it not only reviews the products it sells but the packaging they come in.
“We know our guests pay attention to packaging and its impact on the environment,” said Jennifer Silberman, Target’s chief sustainability officer. “When we provide them with thoughtfully designed, environmentally friendly packaging, we’re able to help them take another step toward sustainable living.”
The retailer’s work began in 2013 with its first packaging goal—to enhance at least 50 of its owned brand packages to be more sustainable by 2016. The company exceed that goal, serving up 160 enhanced packaging designs that used fewer materials and more recycled content, and that were recyclable themselves.
Now, the company reports, it is thinking on a broader scale and revealing five new sustainable packaging goals.
1. Source all owned brand paper-based packaging from sustainably managed forests by 2022
Target says this is an important part of the forest products policy it recently unveiled. With the help of its vendors and other partners, Target says it is working to understand the origin of the raw materials that go into its paper-based packaging and improve the sustainability of forests where the timber used to produce them was grown. The company is kicking off the work with a focus on six of its owned brands: Spritz, Pillowfort, Cat & Jack, up & up, Smith & Hawken and Threshold.
2. Work to eliminate expanded polystyrene from owned brand packaging by 2022
Polystyrene, or foam packaging, is a challenge in many ways, according to Target. It’s difficult to recycle, both for Target’s guests and its distribution centers. It also is a major cause of ocean plastic contamination—by 2030, the oceans could have more plastic than fish, according to predictions. In addition, when not produced using safe methods, polystyrene can be harmful to manufacturing workers’ health. As part of its chemical policy, Target says it will work closely with its suppliers and other partners to find better options for packaging, taking into account the performance, cost and availability of materials.
3. Add the How2Recycle label to all owned brand packaging by 2020
GreenBlue’s How2Recycle label is an industry standard that lets consumers know exactly how to recycle a particular piece of packaging. As a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, Target already has the label on more than 1,700 of its product packages—more than any other retailer, according to the company. Target says it will continue to look for ways to place the label on more of its owned brand packaging whenever space allows.
4. Support The Recycling Partnership’s mission to improve how more than 25 percent of the U.S. population recycles by 2020
As the first retailer to join The Recycling Partnership, Target says it will make it easier for its guests to recycle by increasing access to the resources they need. The company’s investment will bring curbside recycling to more underserved communities—increasing recycling and making more recycled raw materials available for packaging.
5. Create more demand for recycled packaging by creating three new end markets for recycled materials by 2020
The recycling industry is struggling to help consumers understand how and why recycling is so important, according to Target, which says it will champion the cause by advancing the idea that all packaging will be recyclable one day, making the process easier for all. The company has joined two industry efforts to help: The Material Recovery Facility of the Future, a project working toward a vision that all packaging can be recycled; and Beyond 34, a project focused on demonstrating and sharing the best practices to raise the U.S. recycling rate beyond the current rate of 34 percent.
“As a leader in design, we can use our expertise to create more sustainable packaging options for our guests and help deliver products that are both better-for-you and better for the environment,” said Silberman. “With the power of Target’s team and our scale as one of the country’s largest retailers, we hope to be a catalyst for change across the industry—aiming for the day when all packaging will be recyclable, and leading the way to a packaging-waste-free world.”
