Fresh Thinking Paper Ideas – June 2023 – Two Sides

From projects that save printed memories to plant-preserving perfume, we reveal the latest examples of print and sustainability brilliance.

Turn It Down!

Mayonnaise brand Hellman’s has launched a jar that features a label that indicates when a consumer’s fridge is at the ideal temperature for storing food. Distributed during Food Action Week in March, the label has been printed with temperature-sensitive ink that changes when the fridge it’s stored in is set below 5°C, indicating it’s at the ideal temperature. The ‘Smart Jar’ comes after a report by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), which states that millions of UK consumers run their fridges too warm and that certain foods can last up to three days longer in a fridge set below 5°C.

“Incorrect storage is a key trigger for food going off, and getting the fridge temperature right can help food stay fresher for longer,” said Rachel Chambers, Senior Marketing Manager of Hellmann’s. “We need innovations like this to help us make simple changes in our lives that will pay dividends.”

The Smell Of Sustainability

An Italian retailer has launched a perfume that claims to be the first environmental perfume at risk of extinction. Italmark, a supermarket chain, recently started selling the perfume in the form of a room scent, which recreates the fragrances of the flowers and plants at risk of extinction near Monte Baldo, a mountain range in the Italian provinces of Veneto and Verona. Home to 40% of Italy’s alpine flora, Monte Baldo has the richest floral biodiversity in Europe, biodiversity that is under increasing threat from climate change. Created to highlight the beauty and importance of the Monte Baldo ecosystem, money raised from the sale of the perfume will be used to fund projects to protect the mountain’s flowers and plants.

Power to The People

Following January’s failed coup attempt in Brazil, one of the country’s largest retailers has offered its customers a print version of the country’s constitution at a 99% discount. Following the offer, Mercado Livre quickly ran out of the publication and promised to quickly restock. The offer highlights a growing trend amongst brands that are increasingly taking a stand on societal and political issues, with the Brazilian retailer focusing on the importance of democracy and how it shares many of the values of its customers.

Bargain Hunt

A German supermarket chain ran a campaign that swapped signs highlighting discounts on its products for ones that show their CO2e saving. The retailer, REWE, ran the campaign for Veganuary, telling its customers that while financial discounts will provide temporary value, lower CO2e emissions deliver permanent value, making a positive contribution to fighting climate change. Voted Germany’s most vegan-friendly supermarket in 2021, REWE used the signs to draw attention to its Bio+vegan products, such as oat milk and falafels rather than cow’s milk and meat.

Emotional Rescue

Among the many heartbreaking consequences of extreme weather events is the loss of possessions for thousands of people in areas affected by floods. But while most belongings can be replaced, treasured photos damaged by water are irretrievable. Following the catastrophic Cyclone Gabrielle, which tore through the North Island of New Zealand in February, Fujifilm has offered to restore precious prints at no cost to residents. The company will be setting up stations in flood-affected areas where people can bring in damaged photos to be assessed and, if possible, restored. This follows a similar offer by Canon in 2021, which restored hundreds of photos in Belgium after the country was devastated by floods.

Read more interesting articles like the above in the latest edition of The Page here!

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