Milk Packaging for Distribution Past, Present and future
You are well aware by time everything changes and we need to change our organizational capabilities and strategies according to the future so that we are ready for the challenges which would be thrown at us in future.
As the subject says be future ready for your distribution of product and milk in the coming time we will see changes in how milk is offered in this world. In this article I will be referring to my understanding in the Indian context. As we know, India is the biggest producer of milk and is different from other countries and the consumers behavior is also different. So in what ways in the coming future the milk will be delivered, we just can't copy what is going in Europe, USA or other developed countries. and can bring it to India. Yes, surely we can give it a thought. Another thing we need to look at is climate change which is one of the biggest threats to our existence.
With the priority of climate change, the Indian government is making new policies to compliment a better future for our citizens. One of the largest activities in climate change is to save the ozone layer and for that it has banned refrigerant gases which are not ozone friendly. Similarly there are other initiatives, one of which is important is also the plastic ban. Plastic is the only material which is non-degradable; its complex polymer structure makes it durable and non-degradable. People have become used to plastic made products in day to day life usage such as, one of the important things is food packaging and also which is used in milk pouches. Because of this, such high quantities of plastic waste have accumulated and it is raising alarm which is hazardous. Currently India is ranked no. 4 producers of plastic waste in the world.
There are already laws for aggressive use of plastic in India for plastic made products but still it is being taken by convenience. 26 Indian states have banned plastic bags in India.
I would like to give an latest example of latest contagious disease “COVID-19” which is famously called “CORONAVIRUS”, so the same way this disease has spread all over the world and in one day India`s Prime Minister says that there is a 21 days lockdown in the country and everything stopped.
We all really appreciate the early action taken by our government and our Prime Minister of India to save our lives from this deadly contagious CORONAVIRUS which has helped us to fight against this disease together. I don’t see the day is too far when our government and Prime Minister of India will announce that from today all the used plastic will be banned in whatever form and also the plastic used as plastic pouches of milk will no longer be used and at that point of time what would be our Indian Dairy Industry would do what choices would they have. So with this article we will now contemplate what future options are available in the Indian market for distribution of milk across India.
Before we get into the future I would like to put that in early years when the milk distribution was started it was completely loose milk that is the way the Dairy Industry started by distributing the loose milk thereafter from 1884 glass bottles were the first milk packaging material used for distribution of milk to the consumers during 2nd World War wax quoted paper container came into existence for selling packaged milk for distributing to the consumer and thereafter there was a plastic quoted paper came into existence for distribution and today most of the dairy packaging material is comprise of plastic pouches which is because of ease of distribution is highly used in the dairy industry.
The packaging industry has always innovated packaging to create a longer shelf life for milk, but in an Indian context the consumer of high shelf milk acceptance is very marginal and would still like to drink as fresh as possible milk available to them. A lot of countries are putting in place and encouraging companies to create eco-friendly packaging for milk such as bioplastic which is made from cornstarch. There is also packaging which is biodegradable plastic which contains material so that the plastic gets decades if it is exposed to the sunlight and air then there are recycled plastic which has been common for use in the dairy industry.
The famous innovations are recyclable pulp fiber transparent packaging again made up of pet bottles recyclable mono material which comprises layers of only PE Lamination and another very famous in India is the Tetra Pak . Then there are innovations in biodegradable dairy bottles, which are free from synthetic plastic plasticizers
The famous innovations are recyclable pulp fiber transparent packaging again made up of pet bottles recyclable mono material which comprises layers of only PE Lamination and another very famous in India is the Tetra Pak . Then there are innovations in biodegradable dairy bottles, which are free from synthetic plastic plasticizers
The new innovations will take time to achieve commercial success and fit into the economics of the Indian milk packaging industry, until then we will have only three ways to distribute milk to homes
1. Carton Packing
2. Glass Bottles
3. Bulk Milk Vending
Carton Packing
Here, I would give you some 4 points about carton containers such as Tetra Pak, if plastic pouches are banned.
- Tetra pak is also a single use container such as plastic pouch. We need to understand how it is produced, what its recycling process is and what are the environmental claims which would decide whether Tetra Pak will be good for the environment. We have to look out that there will still be waste generated by using Tetra Pak in the first place and there will be a recycling rate or percentage of the waste which can be recycled so would this be a perfect answer for replacing milk pouches and getting out of a plastic crisis which we need to attend to
- Tetra Pak claims to be a safe alternative to plastic pouches but the fact is unfortunately there is only a small amount of Tetra PAK which is recycled. Tetra Pak website says that the recycling rate currently 26% worldwide for all the Tetrapak and this is because of a fewer recycling facilities which accept Tetra Pak recycling this would be in the Tetrapak thrown out in the garbage similar way the other waste and plastic pouches and plastic bottles are thrown. According to Tetra Pak, India website it says 50% of Tetra Pak cartons are recycled in India
To understand Tetra PAK we should know it is made up of 14% of plastic sheets 6% bio plastic cap, if the Tetra carton is with a cap, 75% is the cardboard and 5% aluminium is used to make a Tetra Pak. Once the Tetra Pak cartons go to the recycling facility they are broken into their base material which is 75% is cardboard paper which is technically they are able to separate from the Tetra PAK and then it is recycled into paper products. Only the cardboard portion is recycled into paper product the other layer which is a combination of aluminium and plastic mixture which is called poly aluminium, are bound together must be down cycled into single used items then it can be recycled so this poly aluminium is now down cycled into single used items which is used for landfill like floor mats, hard plastic items, flooring, plastic panels etc. Normally, we hold the product to see if it is recyclable or not that is not important. The important thing is the product which is in our hands. If it is made from recycled material then it will be good for the environment as Tetra Pak currently does not use recycled paper for the manufacturing of their packaging material. They used virgin plants / trees / cellulose for the creation of their new carton.- A closed loop recycling system is the only solution to save our environment and secure our future. The big problem in this industry is when the material is not a part of the closed loop recycling system. This means that you can put the material in the same system over and over again without the need of extra virgin material to make it usable again. Tetra packs are not a closed loop because they are made up of various materials that cannot be brought back into the system to make a new Tetra Pak. However it will be better than plastic but sooner or later we will create another problem for our environment.
Summary:
So there are benefits of the Tetra Pak packaging by which the shelf life of the milk is increased. Tetra Pak would be a better solution in comparison to plastic pouches but not a solution as a whole. However, in the Indian context, Indian consumers are more interested in fresh milk than milk that is 3-4 months old. The real solution would be to adopt a culture of reuse.
Milk Glass Bottles.
We would remember our past when we used to buy milk bottles in Glass. In fact, it would be in profound memory that when we were kids we used to get our milk bottles from Delhi milk scheme in Delhi from their booth. Later all the milk packaging has changed to plastic pouches. However, we see some of the companies have come up with glass bottles again for distribution of milk, but generally for farm fresh milk. So there are many reasons for this and still there are environmental concerns also which would be better and which would be less damaging to the environment. There could be advantages as well as disadvantages of glass milk bottles that let us drive deep into the same.
- The closure of milk bottles earlier from the market could be due to certain reasons. First of all the competition and the price war and with that plastic pouches were convenient and easy to distribute hence more profitable for dairy enterprises.
- Also the milk deliveries are not so economical and viable as these milk bottles are to be delivered and then old glass milk bottles are collected and require a good supply chain management and logistics.
- At the moment the beauty of glass milk bottles is that they are still sold at almost double the price of the milk pouches so the glass milk bottle has a premium image of the milk and has been bought by environmentally friendly consumers.
- The biggest advantages of glass milk bottles is that the packaging is reusable once the milk is consumed, the empty glass bottle washed and given back to the processor and the processor cleans it fully and then uses it for refilling which is 100% environmentally friendly and reusable. This is a victory of glass bottle
- To manufacture glass bottles requires more than thrice the energy against the production of milk pouches in plastic or in bottles hence producing glass bottles we generate more CO2 in comparison to plastic by weight. But if you see the reuse ability of glass bottles again and again in that comparison the still glass will win over the plastic production.
- The container recycling institute has researched and stated that the plastic bottles are recycled at the rate of 29% in comparison to the glass bottle which is recycled at the rate of 37% . By using single used plastic which ends up in the nature by entering the sea or landfill and which will take 100 of years to breakdown whereas the glass on the other hand people are more conscious to reuse it again and again after washing even the glass bottles they do not send it for refilling they use it themselves and still whenever it will not be in used it can be 100% recyclable.
Especially when we talk about consuming milk in a glass bottle it is far safer than the plastic pouches because the plastic comes with the risk which includes chemical pitching this means that the chemical will leak into the milk and pose a health risk. There are a lot of studies which are into the directions that because of the plastic use in food it can lead to cancerous diseases. The glass milk bottles do not have any health concerns. These glass bottles are made from natural material such as sand and limestone; this is the only material which FDA classifies as fully safe. Glass bottle is made of 100% natural composition and the glass is chemically innered that meaning it can not be made from any reactive chemicals. The glass bottles of milk are much easier to use in comparison to plastic pouches. It is difficult to handle pore with pouches in comparison to glass milk bottles. Plastic pouches are also nowadays under suspicion of adulteration where it has been seen that people are melting the plastic pouch and inserting water and diluting the milk so their question of reliability in plastic pouches are also there and the glass bottle is completely safe. There are certain disadvantages also of glass milk bottles the foremost and most important is the glass bottle is fragile and it can break down and it is not as flexible as plastic pouches. Once it is broken then it means it is useless and also the milk inside goes waste. Glasses are also susceptible to have sharp edges if it can break it can hurt someone. Glass milk bottles are heavier and take much more space in comparison to plastic pouches where they can be stacked one upon another easily. The other disadvantage of glass bottles could be that the seal of the glass bottle may not be hygienic reusing it again and again will be an expense on the consumer and to the dairy entrepreneur. Further the transparent glass bottle can result in degradation of milk when it is exposed to light for the milk if the material is translucent like the plastic pouches it gives advantage for the safekeeping of milk.
Summary
With the above advantages and disadvantages we have to see whether a glass bottle will be favourable or a feasible option for transporting and delivering milk. If we consider environmental advantages then yes the glass bottle would be the most positive thing which we can use and nowadays Indian consumers are conscious enough to buy more environmentally friendly products even in schools children are taught not to use plastic and also adults. Most of us do not buy plastic in any of the food uses. We are increasingly getting conscious of the effect on our environment. So we would see that there will be more glass milk bottles making a comeback.
So glass bottles seem to be a better choice in comparison to plastic pouches and even the Tetra Pak packaging.
BULK MILK VENDING
The best example of selling milk through Vending Machine is Mother Dairy which has its highest operation in Delhi and Mother Dairy milk has market share of 66% in the branded sector in Delhi whereas it sells 2.5 million liters of milk daily and undertakes its marketing operations through around 1400 retail outlets which is there installed bulk milk vending machines and over 1000 outlets of Mother Dairy.
The mother dairy website says that the company derives significant competitive advantages from its unique distribution of network for bulk milk vending booths, retail outlets and mobile units. Bulk Milk Vending can provide various advantages such as it is purely environmental friendly, does not use plastic and does not have any waste.
Another thing we need to understand is if it is Tetra pak or glass bottle the packaging cost will be too high especially if we compare with glass bottle there is lot of logistics cost and washing cost of glass bottle which will be not in the bulk milk vending as milk will be poured in bulk at one place so it will have a limited logistics in comparison to glass bottles.
Bulk milk vending machines are the “brand Maker”. If we go in the history, Mother Dairy become the largest player in Delhi is just because of their physical presence of brand their vending machines placed across the capital which created a popular and strong brand image of Mother dairy similar ways the bulk milk vending machines whichever brands are seen in the market gives a strong branding recognition in comparison to any other source.
If we need to honor our environment we need to go to our basics which is the distribution of the milk in loose. In bulk milk vending we are selling loose milk with that we also control the quality and the distribution for the modern businesses. Bulk milk vending has a longer life from 10 to 20 years hence it can be a recurring source of income for dairy entrepreneurs.
The milk vending machine also is helpful to have strong ties with repetitive customers in the specific area where these machines get installed. As there will be a future of super markets these machines can be installed easily in the super markets for vending milk and there is no manpower required to run these machines because of various payment paying options. The dairy enterprise which will sell milk through vending machines will have a socially acceptable respect in the consumers as they will be working for environmentally friendly solutions.
This can be used 24 hrs a day for dispensing milk and dairy enterprises can get rid of middle man and can have direct selling through milk vending machines having more control for quality and profitability. Milk vending machines become a complete shop with minimal space which enhance the visibility of the brand in the market. Dairy enterprises also get rid of shopkeepers and sales people in which they influence the various brands of milk to the consumers. All the milk contacting parts are food grade stainless steel hence the best solution for hygiene delivery of milk to consumers. Disadvantages could be a higher cost and space requirement.
Summary
The need for a long-lasting, cost-effective and effectively green solution for the distribution of milk is growing now more than ever. Tetra Paks are a multi-component packet designed to keep microbes, mass-produced using fresh plastic and aluminium. This complicated packaging process produces a ton of waste, exhausts many natural resources and cannot be accurately recycled. Here, glass bottles seem to be a viable alternative. But a regular production-consumer cycle with glass bottles cannot compete with cheaper options in the market. The process of production, manufacture and delivery of glass bottles complicates logistics and increases cost. Additionally, this still contributes to waste generation and disposal problems. The only solution moving forward is to opt for a closed loop recycling system that completely discards the need for packaging. We need a system that slows production of plastic debris and alleviates the pressure on our garbage disposal system. A combination of mechanical hands and daily reusability are a means to save our environment and secure our future for the better. From the above options, a Milk Vending Machine is the best option that benefits both processors and consumers as well as is in the best interest of the country.
