Macfarlane and Lancaster University develop software to reduce packaging overuse

Macfarlane Packaging and Lancaster University have developed new software designed to help businesses reduce excess packaging, eliminate unnecessary empty space and optimise the packaging formats used across high-volume operations.

The software forms the basis of Macfarlane’s new Packaging Minimiser service, which is available exclusively to the company’s customers.

The solution uses an advanced optimisation algorithm to analyse packaging data and identify where businesses are using too much packaging, the wrong packaging or shipping unnecessary empty space.

Algorithm identifies packaging inefficiencies

The software analyses packaging requirements and order profiles to determine where packaging configurations can be improved.

Instead of relying on manual analysis of individual packaging formats, the system evaluates the wider packaging range to identify opportunities for rationalisation.

This can help businesses determine which packaging products are necessary and where different formats could be consolidated or replaced.

Packaging material use falls by an average of 15%

Results from Macfarlane’s Innovation Labs indicate that the Packaging Minimiser service can reduce packaging material use by an average of 15%.

The reduction is achieved by identifying excessive packaging, reducing empty space and recommending packaging configurations that use a more appropriate amount of material for each shipment.

For companies processing large numbers of orders, relatively small improvements per shipment can translate into significant annual material savings.

Right-sizing also reduces empty transport space

Excess packaging does not only increase material consumption. Oversized packages also occupy additional space during transportation.

By identifying packaging formats that better match the products being shipped, the software can help reduce unnecessary empty space within parcels and across the wider distribution network.

This can contribute to lower packaging consumption as well as improved transport efficiency.

Analysis moves from weeks to days

Macfarlane says the new software significantly reduces the time required to assess complex packaging operations.

Packaging requirements that previously took expert teams weeks to analyse can now be assessed in days using the optimisation algorithm.

This allows businesses to identify potential changes more quickly and implement packaging recommendations without lengthy manual reviews.

Packaging range rationalisation reduces complexity

Large manufacturers, distributors, retailers and third-party logistics providers can operate with extensive packaging inventories containing many different box sizes and formats.

Maintaining unnecessary packaging SKUs increases storage requirements, administration and procurement complexity.

The Packaging Minimiser is designed to identify opportunities to rationalise these ranges while maintaining the packaging performance required for different products.

Cost and carbon savings are connected

Reducing packaging material can generate both financial and environmental benefits.

Using less material lowers packaging purchasing costs while reducing the quantity of material entering the waste stream.

Smaller and better-sized packages can also reduce transport requirements and associated carbon emissions by using available vehicle and storage capacity more efficiently.

Packaging optimisation supports regulatory compliance

Reducing unnecessary packaging can also help businesses prepare for increasingly demanding packaging regulations.

Lower material consumption can reduce the amount of packaging placed on the market and therefore influence the costs associated with producer responsibility schemes and packaging taxes.

Optimising packaging dimensions and material use can therefore become part of a wider strategy for managing regulatory and sustainability requirements.

Software connects packaging design with logistics

The development reflects a broader shift towards using data and optimisation algorithms to improve packaging decisions.

Packaging can no longer be considered independently from order profiles, transport requirements, storage capacity and fulfilment operations.

By analysing these factors together, optimisation software can identify opportunities that may not be visible when individual packaging products are assessed separately.

AI and optimisation move deeper into packaging operations

The Macfarlane and Lancaster University project illustrates how advanced algorithms are increasingly being applied to packaging decisions.

Rather than simply automating the physical packing process, software can now help determine which packaging should be used before an order reaches the packing station.

This creates a more data-driven approach to packaging design and distribution, particularly for companies handling large and complex order volumes.

Packaging optimisation becomes a measurable sustainability tool

The Packaging Minimiser demonstrates how software can connect packaging reduction with measurable operational outcomes.

By identifying excess material and unnecessary empty space, businesses can reduce packaging consumption while also targeting cost, storage and transport efficiencies.

As packaging regulation and sustainability requirements become more demanding, data-driven optimisation could become an increasingly important tool for companies looking to reduce material use without compromising product protection.