2.2.1 Exploring the Three-Tier Hierarchy of Packaging Systems

Packaging systems are commonly described in a hierarchy of three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary packaging (Jönson, 2000). The primary packaging (e.g. a bottle) is in direct contact with the product, the secondary (e.g. a corrugated cardboard box) contains several primary packages and the tertiary (e.g. a pallet or roll container) contains a number of primary or secondary packages. An important part of the direct environmental impact of packaging is the impact from production of the packaging materials used for primary, secondary and tertiary packaging. For products with relatively low environmental impact ingredients, e.g. soft drinks (Amienyo et al., 2013), packaging production can be the main contributor to the overall environmental impact. In contrast, for products with high-impact ingredients, e.g. cheese, the relative contribution from packaging to the overall environmental impact is usually small.

The influence of packaging on transport efficiency (for the transport from production facility to retail) is an interesting aspect that has been highlighted by several authors, (García-Arca J., Prado-Prado J.C, 2014). At the same time, the relative contribution of the packed product transport is reported as small in many food supply chains. However, there are examples of products such as wine (WRAP, 2007), where the use of more transport-efficient packaging solutions results in a significant environmental improvement. The relative importance of transport-efficient packaging depends on many different factors: the food ingredients, the type and amount of packaging materials used, the transport distance between producer and retail as well as the mode(s) of transport (Molina-Besch K., 2016). Concludingly, in an LCA of olive oil packaging, that glass bottles are preferable for local distribution while tin plate cans are better for long-distance.