Charmin MegaRoll Packaging A Subtle Green Step from P&G

Procter & Gamble's Lee Sauers Vice President of Global Sustainability was profiled last week in Fortune magazine.  Sauers provided a candid assessment of his company's sustainability efforts in packaging and other areas. 

Environmental concerns are something P&G tries to work into products and packaging design on their own accord not necessarily pushed by consumers.

Fueled by a desire to deliver quality products to consumers and an absolute focus on not forcing consumers to compromise on quality for environmental benefits P&G is making subtle adjustments to things like packaging in order to be greener. 

The company's Charmin Mega toilet paper campaign is a typical example of a product reformulation with some sustainable improvements.  Touting the fact the enhanced roll is equivalent to 4 single rolls in 1, P&G markets the bigger rolls to consumers by saying "Change the Roll Less Often." 

Sauers says consumers respond to this type of marketing and by selling the product this way P&G can save large amounts of packaging.  According to the company, if 1 million consumers switched from Regular Charmin to Mega it would save 85,000 gallons of diesel fuel and eliminate 500,000 pounds of trash and packaging.

P&G has made similar adjustments to popular product's packaging including its laundry detergents, diapers and toothpaste.  P&G is now shipping some of its Crest toothpaste in new containers that can be sold directly to consumers without the need for a box or additional packaging.  The new Crest packaging is durable enough to protect the product in transit and is able to withstand the tough retail environment.

Comments

[Mike]

Good read.. P&G as always - staying on top :)

Mike
www.abc-packaging.com

[R Parton]

First, I would put a different spin on this article. The sustainability factor for packaging is actually a by-product of taking a more sustainable route for the TP itself. BECAUSE the product is now 4-in-1, less packaging is the result.

Second, I love love love that P&G has a Vice President of GLOBAL Sustainability. Congratulations to the World. Best of luck to Mr. Sauers.

Third, fantastic to ready that Fortune is highlighting this type of story on the impact that reduction of packaging can have to landfills and C02 emissions, as well as improving the number at the bottom line. The more that global companies similar to P&G hear about the cost-saving (essentially profit-making) aspect of sustainability-driven implementations to something as "simple" as packaging, the more they will be convinced make such simple changes themselves.

Fourth, I'd like to highlight the bit about how they market this to consumers. P&G are extremely market savvy. I'm sure they did loads of interviews with consumers to find out how to market this perfectly. This is great (though I have heard some people say that all marketers are evil evil evil) - what this does it practically guarantee that consumers will buy this product there-by reducing packaging consumption (= waste) without having to think about it! Which is exactly what they want - because consumers DON'T want to think about packaging, do they? They just want their damned soft, cushy TP!

Finally - and with a more questionable tone - I ask Lee Sauers, sir, do you seriously expect the educated public to believe that (to quote) "Environmental concerns are something P&G tries to work into products and packaging design on their own accord not necessarily pushed by consumers."? I'm sorry but Global Corporations with Huge Stakeholders don't just make this kind of move out of the goodness of their corporate hearts (sorry to say). They do it because consumers WANT this kind of approach to the products they NEED (to wipe their bums with). As I stated earlier, the company you keep is fantastic at being market driven. Based on this logic, P&G wouldn't do this if consumers weren't subconsciously clamoring for it. You did however use the words "not necessarily" so I guess you do have a bit of an out there. But I couldn't let that paragraph be overlooked. Hope you understand.

Anyway, congratulations for finding this consumer need and turning it into a reality (though other brands like Scott have been out there with this approach for years, albeit a bit scratchier on the bum).