Discover how Volac identified potential opportunities to reduce packaging costs, cut material use and support future compliance through a comprehensive packaging portfolio review.
Volac International Ltd partnered with Valpak in the UK to undertake a comprehensive packaging portfolio review. The aim was to identify potential opportunities to reduce costs, improve packaging efficiency and support future regulatory requirements.
The assessment examined how packaging was used across Volac’s operations, reviewed current specifications, explored alternative supply options, and considered opportunities to reduce material use and improve recyclability.
Scope
66 individual packaging components reviewed across Volac’s Port Talbot and Liverpool facilities, using site visits, packaging data analysis and supplier engagement.
Packaging protects products and supports efficient operations. However, established packaging specifications can present opportunities for optimisation as materials, technologies, suppliers and regulatory requirements evolve.
The packaging review considered:
Valpak visited both UK facilities to understand operational requirements, observe how packaging was being used and identify potential areas for improvement. Samples of all in-scope packaging were collected alongside purchasing data to assess packaging weights, materials, specifications and environmental impacts.
Figure 1: The seven packaging categories included in the packaging portfolio review.
Review at a glance
To explore alternative solutions and challenge existing supply arrangements, 42 packaging suppliers were contacted under NDA conditions, with 22 actively engaging in discussions. Where appropriate, suppliers provided indicative quotations and product samples for further evaluation.
This combination of site-based assessment, packaging data analysis and supplier engagement identified practical opportunities that considered packaging performance alongside cost, material use, sustainability and supply chain requirements.
| Potential opportunity | Estimated reduction |
|---|---|
| Packaging purchase costs | Approximately 17% |
| Packaging weight | Approximately 6% |
| Material-related carbon emissions | Approximately 7% |
| Annual PRN costs | Approximately 15% |
These estimates were derived from opportunities relating to supplier optimisation, packaging design improvements, lightweighting, material optimisation and packaging material selection.
Important: These figures are estimates linked to recommendations from the completed review. They do not represent achieved savings, implemented changes or verified reductions.
The assessment focused on identifying practical opportunities for further investigation rather than recommending changes that could compromise packaging performance or operational requirements.
The assessment considered potential packaging solutions against the principles of the RAM, helping to identify opportunities that could support future compliance requirements while maintaining the functionality required by Volac’s operations.
The review provided Volac with a detailed assessment of its 66 packaging components. It also highlighted where existing packaging specifications and supplier arrangements were already considered commercially competitive, helping distinguish between areas for further investigation and those where the current solution remained appropriate.
The recommendations can now inform Volac’s future decision-making and internal investigations into packaging specifications, supplier options and material choices. Any benefits will depend on which opportunities Volac decides to explore and implement.
The Valpak team bring real expertise to our packaging portfolio. Rather than just identifying problems, they have helped us understand the range of options available and worked collaboratively with suppliers to find practical solutions we could implement. The combination of cost savings, carbon reduction and regulatory alignment make a compelling business case for moving forward through further internal discussions and the potential implementation of some (if not all) of the suggestions.
This review demonstrates how an evidence-based assessment can help identify opportunities to reduce costs, improve material efficiency and prepare for future regulatory requirements.
Organisations that regularly review packaging specifications, suppliers and material choices are often better positioned to respond to evolving legislation, changing supply chain requirements and sustainability objectives.
A packaging portfolio review assesses packaging specifications, suppliers, material use and packaging performance to identify potential opportunities for improvement across an organisation’s packaging portfolio.
Reviews can identify opportunities for supplier optimisation, lightweighting, packaging redesign and material efficiency improvements, which may help reduce packaging-related costs.
Packaging lightweighting involves reducing packaging material whilst maintaining the required functionality, protection and performance.
Packaging optimisation can help organisations identify opportunities to improve recyclability, reduce material consumption and support readiness for evolving packaging legislation, including the UK’s Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) and the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
Reviews typically consider packaging specifications, purchasing data, packaging weights, supplier information and operational requirements.