Consumer Protection
From safety to food conservation and cost-efficiency, plastics protect consumers in many ways while also providing them with sustainable solutions. In packaging applications, for instance, more than 50% of products are packaged with plastics. However, plastics account for only 17% of total packaging weight and therefore help reach greater resource efficiency.
Constantly doing more with less, plastics also tend to reduce their use of raw materials. Plastic bags indeed require 70% less material today than they did in the 80s. Not only does it increase resource efficiency, but it also provides consumers with increasingly cost-efficient solutions.
Then, thanks to their unique features, plastics also reduce food waste by extending shelf life, preserve food taste and protect it from bacteria while also providing unique protection to non-food products. This all results in additional comfort for consumers and in a substantial reduction of thier environmental foodprint.
Packaging is just but an example of application where plastics combine consumer protection with sustainable solutions. For instance:
- We use plastic pipes to carry our drinking water safely and efficiently, and to get rid of sewerage
- Many of the toys our children play and of the applications they use daily are made of plastics. Plastics’ strength, light weight, versatility and malleability contribute to children safety.
- Plastics also help in fire safety, with firemen helmets and suits being the best example of their contribution.
- In our cars, lightweight plastics are used to protect us, enhance our comfort and increase fuel savings
- In sports, plastics provide consumers with efficient, light and strong safety gear.
