DS Smith partners with Oceans to offer plastic-free toilet tissue and kitchen towels
Consumer appetite for purpose-led brands is contributing to an increase in demand for plastic free toilet rolls. DS Smith research has found that 1 in 4 (26%) online shoppers would stop ordering from a company if they experienced too much unnecessary packaging, and over a fifth (22%) would do the same if the packaging was not recyclable or difficult to recycle.
With sustainability increasingly becoming front of mind, consumers are paying attention to the source and environmental impact of their everyday essentials, right down to their toilet roll. DS Smith has been working with Oceans – one of the first UK manufacturers to offer plastic-free toilet tissue and kitchen towels – to launch a sustainable, forward-thinking packaging solution for its toilet paper. The brand wanted to design a range of introductory packs which would encourage customers to make use of its subscription offer for toilet roll, safe in the knowledge that the packaging was plastic-free and 100% recyclable.
The challenge with many sustainable toilet roll subscription brands is designing packaging that remains appealing and functional, while staying true to the brand’s values.
To hit the brief DS Smith developed a range of designs for the introductory packs, ensuring that this aligned with Oceans sustainability mission and values. After rigorous testing from DS Smith designers and Oceans customers, the finished box was made from 100% recyclable content, with modified dimensions to cut down on waste and void space.
To maximise customer experience when opening the box, the design featured an introduction to the brand, Oceans messaging and a QR code with details on how first-time customers could get 10% off on the next Oceans order. As a result, Oceans saw over half of customers make a repeat order online or make another purchase at the same time as the trial purchase.
It was crucial that the finished ecommerce design reflected our values as a business of caring for people and planet – from the materials used for the packaging, through to the branding featured on the box.
Helping customers to design out hard to recycle plastics is what DS Smith are proud to do everyday as it aligns with their own mission to reduce waste and keeping recyclable materials in use for longer. Learn more about our circular design metrics here.
At DS Smith, we collaborate with our customers to design ecommerce packaging that incorporates the design and feel of the brand but are made from fiber-based materials – using our Circular Design Metrics.
In line with its Now and Next strategy and purpose to Redefine Packaging for a Changing World, DS Smith uses its unique Circular Design Metrics to rate and compare the circularity of packaging designs across eight different indicators.
The Circular Design Metrics are an industry first and give a clear identification of a packaging design’s sustainability performance, and where to focus attention. These enable DS Smith customers to embrace circularity and meet their own ambitious sustainability goals and since their creation in 2019, the DS Smith Circular Design Metrics have supported thousands of design projects with around 3,000 circular-ready projects presented to customers every month.
Want to find out how you can transition your packaging into the circular economy? Follow: packaging that helps you transition to the circular economy