Why Eco

It's hard to go anywhere these days without hearing about sustainability and eco-friendliness. But these terms have become more than just buzzwords. Today's consumers care more than ever about products that are made using sustainable processes, come in recyclable packaging or have other earth-friendly features—and manufacturers are delivering, making it easier for retailers to build a robust selection of eco-friendly and sustainably made goods in their stores.

At Southern Barker, which has stores in Lexington, Ky., shoppers are starting to pay attention to packaging, said sales associate MacKenzie Perkins.

"People prefer boxes that break down and recycle easily," she said. "A lot of our customers also bring in their own jar for treats from the Barker Bar."

Perkins said if there's one thing that she would like to see improvements on, it would be the use of plastic packaging.

Julie Creed, vice president of sales and marketing for Pure and Natural Pet, a grooming products manufacturer in Norwalk, Conn., agreed that packaging is of interest to many consumers.

"There has been a big surge in reducing one-time-use plastics," she said. "These ideas are not just trends but have become the mainstay. Customers that embrace a more sustainable lifestyle look at the labels on the products they use for their family and pets."

Still, John Barron-Ethridge, owner of Pet City Houston, a retailer in Texas, pointed out that price is still an important consideration for a lot of customers—particularly during these challenging economic times. That may mean that even if they would prefer to buy the eco-friendly option, if it costs more, it might not be feasible.

"Until the cost of some eco-friendly options comes down, they simply may be out of reach for some customers," he added.

As far as which customers are most invested, there is certainly a generational component—though that's not a steadfast rule.

"Older generations have an interest in eco-friendly products, too, but all sorts of studies are showing that Gen Z and millennials are significantly more interested," said Deb Suchman, co-founder of Polkadog Bakery, a treat maker and retailer in Boston. "Because so much information is available in easily digested media bytes, the younger generation gets that sexy dopamine feedback loop every time they digitally search for sustainability and other eco-friendly trends. We live in a world where there are mega-influencers promoting sustainable, alternative proteins in the same 30-second video where they discuss corporate progressiveness."

Anne Carlson, founder and CEO of Berkeley, Calif.-based Jiminy's, which makes dog food and treats using sustainable insect protein, said that the perception has evolved—and includes a cool factor that wasn't previously there.

"Now there's a sense of fun governed by optimism and practicality," Carlson explained. "Early eco-friendly products were fine but hindered by perceptions of the time as lacking pizzazz. They weren't thought of as sexy. Now the sector feels vaguely cutting edge. Consumers choosing eco-friendly are engaged and want to solve problems. Why? It's too much of a coincidence to not connect the rapidly worsening environmental news, amplified by the 24-hour news cycle, with the explosion in eco-friendly products. There's a growing feeling in a growing consumer sector to do something."

Finding ways to alert customers to eco-friendly and sustainable products is key for pet retailers looking to make their mark in this category, and merchandising paired with good signage can help.

"In store, create endcaps or outposts to highlight eco-friendly products and have signage that clearly explains why it's eco-friendly," suggested Julie Creed, vice president of sales and marketing for Pure and Natural Pet, a grooming products manufacturer in Norwalk, Conn. "Online, promote eco-friendly products on your masthead with a clickable link, have a tab for all of the eco-friendly products that are for sale, and create an icon to denote the status or use the FSC [Forest Stewardship Council] or USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] Certified Organic logo if the product qualifies."

Cynthia Dunston Quirk, founder of Scout & Zoe's, a pet food and treat manufacturer in Anderson, Ind., said that there are many ways for retailers to draw attention to eco-friendly products.

"Many of our retailers have used point-of-purchase, educational sessions, meet and greets with us, and FaceTime/video opportunities with the staff for additional education and to showcase our eco-friendly products," Dunston Quirk said.

Stores can also make eco-friendly changes of their own. Mason Blackwell, co-owner of Huck & Harlowe, which has two stores in Florida, said that they have switched to recyclable bags and have gone paperless. They now only email or text their receipts.

"These are small changes that don't harm the customer experience, but they save us money and help us to be more eco-friendly," Blackwell said. "It is small changes like these that can make a big difference."

For many pet product manufacturers, sustainable, earth-friendly practices are a core part of doing business. Pet Product News asked several about how their procedures and products support this mission.

For Deb Suchman, co-founder of Polkadog Bakery, a treat maker and retailer in Boston, sustainability is considered in all decision making.

"From carefully choosing our business partners to choosing our #4 Recyclable Pouch Packaging to researching uses for quahogs—maybe the healthiest, most sustainable local co-product you can find—sustainability is part of every decision," she said. "Right now, we’re making Pork Jerky with our local partners, Walden Meat, a waste-less, healthy co-product. Sustainability isn't an event you do for the holiday season. It's the way you run your business."

Suchman said her company slowly dehydrates Walden Local Meat Co.'s pork at Polkadog's Boston Fish Pier Kitchen to create Polkadog Pork Jerky, a single-ingredient treat for dogs and cats.

Julie Creed, vice president of sales and marketing for Pure and Natural Pet, a grooming products manufacturer in Norwalk, Conn., said the company has made product and packaging improvements in the past year.

"It was important for us to make our Grooming and Cleansing Wipes biodegradable," Creed said. "They are also FSC [Forest Stewardship Council] Certified, ensuring ethical production. The wood pulp from our wipes is harvested from forests that are responsibly managed, socially beneficial and environmentally conscious."

In addition, the company's Ear Cleansing System has been upgraded to eco-friendly packaging, and Pure and Natural Pet has added refill cartridges for its Flea & Tick Spray to cut down on waste. Its Organic Dental Solutions Canine Dental Kit is USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] Certified Organic and FSC Certified and has aided in the planting of 3,260 trees.

At Scout & Zoe's, a pet food and treat manufacturer in Anderson, Ind., founder Cynthia Dunston Quirk said that the company's Carpius Maximus family of treats, which includes Planks, Jerky and Viddles, utilizes the invasive, non-native Asian carp, which has been taking over waterways. The Asian carp is highly nutritious for pets and sustainable to fish, Dunston Quirk said.

"Super Fly, our black solider fly larvae family of products, is also very sustainable," Dunston Quirk continued. "They grow in vertical habitats, and the larvae feed on fruits and veggies that have passed their prime and could have headed to the landfill."

The line contains an oil, jerky, treats and a topper.

Dunston Quirk said the company's latest sustainable products release is its line of Catazztic Cat Food Toppers, a trio of toppers that contain black solider fly larvae.

At Jiminy's in Berkeley, Calif., founder and CEO Anne Carlson said sustainable insect protein ingredients help the company to conserve land and water while reducing greenhouse gasses. However, the company is also making updates to its packaging to further its eco-friendly mission.

"We’ve swapped out our old packaging for recyclable materials, and our new wet food entrees come in Tetra Paks," she said. "I love how their shape allows them to pack and ship about as tightly as you can get."

The company's two new wet food entrees—Cravin’ Cricket and Good Grub—use insect protein. Both also have a pumpkin scent and taste, and can be used as a standalone meal or as toppers.

Steve Ablett, manager, All Things Pet, at Tempo Flexible Packaging in Innisfil, Ontario, Canada

Dog and cat owners are more eco-conscious than ever. How is pet food packaging evolving to support sustainability in the pet industry? How are packaging companies working with pet food and supply manufacturers to ensure that their products meet the demand for goods that are eco-friendly inside and out?

Today's pet parents are educated consumers looking for high-quality food to ensure the health and happiness of their pet family members. They also want to be socially responsible to the environment. As a result, pet food packaging is in a period of transition from traditional non-recyclable multi-material constructions to more environmentally conscious compositions.

There are several initiatives underway to facilitate that shift. Two of the main undertakings are the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin and recycle-ready mono-material constructions.

PCR resin: The amount of PCR that is readily available is the current challenge in the packaging industry. Infrastructure initiatives are now underway to supply the market with clean circular polymers to be used in food-grade films, and industry leaders are confident that we should start seeing these volumes grow in the years ahead. Available capacity is being addressed by companies supplying food-grade PCR to film producers, such as Tempo Flexible Packaging, for their food-grade films.

Recycle-ready mono-material: Tempo, a pet food packaging supplier in North America, has developed Harmony—its fully recyclable line of products. The Harmony line does not use co-mingled products such as foil, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), etc. Instead, they are mono-layer products that are recycle-ready and provide the same protection barriers without compromise.

Transitioning from a non-recyclable construction to a fully recyclable package is a complex process. Pet food manufacturers and their associated brand owners are advised to partner with a forward-thinking packaging supplier like Tempo to help them with this packaging evolution. This switch can take place while also upholding the protection of the high-quality food and addressing the expectations of educated consumers.

Packaging review meetings offer a critical look at your current package. With the proper experts in the room, subjects like the following are all discussed: recyclability, packaging costs, dimensional downsizing, down gauging, barrier protection—e.g., moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR), oxygen transmission rate (OTR)—and acceptance on existing equipment lines.

Thereafter, a clear path forward on how to transition to a more environmentally responsible product while addressing other possible benefits is outlined.

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