ConAgra Sustainability Drive to Reduce Packaging

ConAgra Foods will reduce its packaging 10 percent and take other actions across its supply chain as part of an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions some 20 percent over the next five years, the industrial food giant announced.

The packaging and supply chain initiatives are part of what ConAgra called an ³aggressive sustainability² campaign at the Omaha, Neb.-based company.

³We¹ve set these new transparent sustainability goals to ensure we are a leader in continuously improving the way we make food, and to create more awareness for what others can do to improve as well,² ConAgra Foods CEO Gary Rodkin said in a statement.

ConAgra¹s sustainability goals follow similar targets announced by retailers and food companies such as Wal-Mart and Kraft Foods. The company did not set specific targets for transportation and logistics activities, but said it would work with suppliers in areas such as energy consumption.

The company expects to reduce its overall greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent per pound of product produced by 2015, compared to 2008 figures.

The goals on packaging are the most specific in the new effort. ConAgra says it aims to reduce packaging 10 percent per pound of product compared to 2008 measurements, and will increase the use of recycled content in its packaging by 25 percent by 2015.