Macay Fischer
Febraury 16, 2021
HCDE 301
A Look at the Future of
An exploration of the ethical and sustainable dimensions of Yakult probiotic drink packaging. Analysis of the packaging production, environmental effects, life after disposal, and consumer use. As well as a look at potential solutions and a packaging redesign that considers principles of suatainability.
Table of Contents Background
1
The Problem
3
Material
4
Recycling
5
Form Factor
6
The Solution
7
Outer Packaging
8
Bottle Material
8
Recommendation
9
Mock-up Conclusion
10 11
Background Yakult is the massively popular probiotic drink, served in its distinctive plastic bottle. The iconic beverage utilizes Lactobacillus casei Shirota, a proprietary probiotic strain that encourages intestinal wellness in consumers. In fact, the brand positions itself as a leader in dietary health, stating on its website:
“Yakult's mission is to contribute to the health and happiness of every person around the world through the pursuit of excellence in life sciences and the study of microorganisms” [1]. In many ways, the Yakult products accomplish this goal, encouraging digestive health through its international brand. See Figure 1 for the brand’s scope and research facilities. however, it is clear from one look at a Yakult package that the brand fails to ensure the health of people around the world in one crucial way: plastic.
Fig. 1 World map featuring Yakult business sites and marketing regions. Source: Yakult [1]
1
The single serving, 80 mL drink is conveniently bottled in a transparent plastic. These servings are then wrapped together in a clear plastic wrap, in groups of five. Finally, to be delivered or bought in bulk, multiple packs of 5 are shrink-wrapped together in more plastic. It is acutely apparent that Yakult suffers from excess packaging.
2
The dangers of plastic waste have been known for decades, yet brands like Yakult continue to produce huge quantities of single use plastic. This plastic remains in the environment, in landfills for centuries [2]. An even more pressing concern is this plastic ending up in our oceans. See Figure 2 for estimates of current plastic waste ending up in oceans and future predictions.
Fig. 2 Line graph showcasing estimates of world plastic ending up in oceans from 2010 to 2025, featuring high, mid, and low estimates. Source: AAAS [3]
The company’s mission is to improve the health and wellness of people around the world, a mission they will ultimately fail to achieve if they continue using plastic packaging.
3
The Problem The problem of plastic in Yakult packaging is not new. The product has come in its iconic plastic bottle since 1968, as a cheaper, more lightweight alternative to the glass and cork bottles they originally came in. Since at least 2004, Yakult has made some attempts to improve sustainability, using thinner plastics, recyclable material, and developing sustainable marketing [4]. See Figure 3 for Yakult’s sustainability logo, designed for future initiatives. However, these changes remain limited and inadequate in improving Yakult’s sustainability and facing the plastic waste crisis. As stated, the biggest hurdle Yakult faces is the excess use of plastics in their packaging, presenting dangers due to pollution and production. Yakult, however, emphasizes that the plastic used in their bottles is recyclable, but research indicates that recyclability does little to curb environmental damage. Finally, the single serving bottles encourage unnecessary packaging and present difficulties to those that lack fine motor skills.
Fig. 3 Yakult ECO initiative logo created by Yakult for future sustainability projects. Source: Yakult [5]
4
Material The iconic Yakult bottle is formed from polystyrene plastic [5], the same plastic one might find in takeout containers or red solo cups. Even though the plastic is advertised as recyclable (the implications of which will be addressed below in ‘Recycling’), the consumption of plastic still has critical consequences for our health and the health of the planet. For one, the lightweight build of polystyrene causes it to be blown into streams and end up in oceans.
275 Million metric tons of plastic entered oceans in 2010 [3] Furthermore, the production and disposal of polystyrene, as with any non-bioplastic, presents many dangers due to its toxic chemical makeup. According to The Occupational Safety and Health Administration:
“Chronic exposure affects the central nervous system showing symptoms such as depression, headache, fatigue, weakness, and may cause minor effects on kidney function” [6].
5
Recycling In Yakult promotional pamphlets, the brand promotes that the plastic containers are, in fact, recyclable. The only indication of this fact is an approximately half centimeter wide recycling symbol, hidden on the side of a Yakult bottle. Furthermore, whether or not the polystyrene plastic bottles can be recycled at all is dependent on municipal recycling facilities.
Percent of US recycling facilities accepting: According to Greenpeace International [7]
11%
Plastic Cups
1%
Plastic Cutlery
4%
Plastic Bags
only 5% of plastics that are manufactured are recycled, mainly mechanically into lower-value secondary products that are not recycled again and that ultimately find their way to landfills or pollute the environment” [8].
6
Form Factor The form factor of a Yakult bottle is iconic and beloved by the probiotic drink’s fans. However, the single serving bottle can promote unsustainable behavior and present challenges for those with disabilities. At just 80 mL, each Yakult bottle is a single serving, less than one quarter the size of the average soda can; see Figure 4. The small size promotes more packaging material for less product, only exacerbating the problem of plastic waste. this problem is not easily solved as the individual servings have been a selling point since the drink’s advent in 1935. Additionally, according to a Yakult spokesperson, “A smaller bottle is more hygienic. A larger bottle that is not finished might be kept open, thus a bigger risk of infection with other bacteria” [9]. Additionally, the bottle’s design presents challenges for those that lack fine motor skills or experience hand tremors. The small bottle and tightly secured foil lid make gripping and opening difficult.
Fig. 4 Size comparison between a Coca-Cola can and a Yakult probiotic drink. Source: Macay Fischer
7
The Solution In order to fully address the variety of sustainability concerns presented in this paper, a full redesign of the Yakult packaging is necessary. This redesign will not only be focused on the material packaging but also the Yakult form factor. Considering the production, use, and disposal of the probiotic drink, the solution will promote sustainability throughout the entire lifecycle. First the outer packaging must be considered to encourage recyclability, and second the bottle material and form factor must be considered.
Fig. 5 Mock-up of potential Yakult packaging. Source: Macay Fischer
Outer Packaging In its current form, plastic Yakult bottles are grouped and shrink-wrapped; then the groups of bottles are again shrink-wrapped on cardboard trays for transport and bulk buying; see Figure 6. The packaging process clearly uses an excess of unsustainable plastic material. The plastic wrap can instead be substituted with recycled cardboard boxes that hold the desired number of Yakult drinks. These boxes can be specifically cut to snuggly fit the expected five Yakults, reducing damage in transport, and be made of 100% recycled cardboard. According to the EPA, “corrugated [cardboard] boxes had a recycling rate of 96.5 percent in 2018” [10]. The high reprocessing rate of cardboard boxes makes it a clear choice over plastic.
Fig. 6 Existing plastic packaging for Yakult packs. Source: Yakult Australia
Bottle Material
Fig. 7 Agar agar drink packaging proof of concept. Source: tomorrowmachine.com
8
In order to tackle the problem of plastic waste and make a clear statement, an entirely unique alterative is necessary. One striking answer is seaweed-based biomaterial. Various organizations have invested in the development of alginate and agar, extracted from seaweed, that are not only biodegradable but edible while remaining water resistant. This material is ideal for Yakults packaging as it encourages the single serving of necessary probiotics, eliminates plastic waste, and is fully compostable. Already, companies like Notpla and Loliware produce fully compostable, fully edible plastic alternative packaging [11]; see Figure 7 for a concept from Tommorow Machine. Adoption of these materials for Yakult would allow for guilt free single serving probiotic drinks that promote sustainability.
Recommendations Applying the above solutions, a redesign was developed to resolve the sustainability challenges of Yakult. This redesign eliminates the need for any plastic, utilizes circular materials, and encourages single serving probiotic consumption without the additional waste. See Figure 1 and Figure 2 for mockups of the redesign. With this redesign, the following recommendations are made:
A corrugated cardboard container made of 100% recycled paper product that can be recycled for future manufacturing.
Bottles formed from alginate biomaterial that are fully biodegradable and edible. The top can be bitten off and the bottle squeezed for easy, accessible consumption.
Rectangular design better utilizes box space for more efficient shipping and reduced packaging.
Graphics promote sustainability while providing visual interest and maintaining brand identity.
9
Green Imagery and informative graphics to showcase green initiative
10
Edible, compostable alginate biomaterial bottles
Green graphics in tandem with Yakult branding on recycled cardboard box
Fig. 8 Visual mockups of sustainable packaging redesigns for Yakult. Source: Macay Fischer
11
Conclusion With these changes, Yakult can position itself as a leader in ethical responsibility and sustainability. Only through radical rethinking of the current packaging can Yakult accomplish its mission to, “contribute to the health and happiness of every person around the world.”