04 FEBRUARY 2013Businessgreen.com
Unilever freshens up deodorant packaging with compressed cans
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
2 min read
Unilever will today unveil a major packaging breakthrough, after scientists spent years sweating over designs for a more efficient compressed aerosol deodorant can.The consumer goods giant is adamant there were no "underarm" tactics used when they developed the new aerosol spray, which is half the size of the traditional can, but should last just as long. The new 75ml can, which will be available for the Sure, Dove and Vaseline brands, will hit shelves today and, if successful, could be rolled out to other brands.
Unilever claims the new cans are the first major packaging reduction initiative for aerosol deodorants since they were introduced in the late 1960s.
The smaller can uses half the amount of propellant as the 150ml can, and 25 per cent less aluminum. Unilever also reckons it will be able to squeeze an additional 53 cans onto a delivery pallet, which would in turn reduce the number of trucks required to ship the product by more than a third.
Aerosol sprays no longer contain the harmful chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that were blamed for causing a giant hole in the ozone layer in the 1990s. However, critics claim they may contribute to air pollution because they can contain large amounts of volatile organic compounds, which contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone.
A spokeswoman for Unilever said the company had no plans to discourage consumers from using aerosols, but was instead keen to cut the environmental impacts of its packaging by reducing size and encouraging recycling.
The move was welcomed by Richard Swannell, director of design and waste prevention at the government's Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).
"The new aerosols represent a step change in the aerosol category and WRAP applauds Unilever's leadership role in evolving the format," he said.
"Through the Courtauld Commitment we have encouraged packaging innovation and these new aerosols deliver both impressive packaging and transport savings. We hope the environmental benefits, as well as the convenient small size, are appreciated by the consumer."
Unilever claims the new cans are the first major packaging reduction initiative for aerosol deodorants since they were introduced in the late 1960s.
The smaller can uses half the amount of propellant as the 150ml can, and 25 per cent less aluminum. Unilever also reckons it will be able to squeeze an additional 53 cans onto a delivery pallet, which would in turn reduce the number of trucks required to ship the product by more than a third.
Aerosol sprays no longer contain the harmful chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that were blamed for causing a giant hole in the ozone layer in the 1990s. However, critics claim they may contribute to air pollution because they can contain large amounts of volatile organic compounds, which contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone.
A spokeswoman for Unilever said the company had no plans to discourage consumers from using aerosols, but was instead keen to cut the environmental impacts of its packaging by reducing size and encouraging recycling.
The move was welcomed by Richard Swannell, director of design and waste prevention at the government's Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).
"The new aerosols represent a step change in the aerosol category and WRAP applauds Unilever's leadership role in evolving the format," he said.
"Through the Courtauld Commitment we have encouraged packaging innovation and these new aerosols deliver both impressive packaging and transport savings. We hope the environmental benefits, as well as the convenient small size, are appreciated by the consumer."
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