Design for sustainability in future scenarios in the self-service food packaging sector

Abstract

The increase in the reciprocal demand of the packaging and food industries currently promotes a volume of waste that is disproportionate to an efficient management in terms of environmental, socio-ethical, economical and political sustainability. In this context, this research proposes the development of a methodology to define strategies that provide parameters for decisions guided by Design for Sustainability. It is anchored in the principle that the discontinuity of the current patterns of production and consumption is essential to achieve transformations with more promising results. This precept was related to Future Studies and in its premise to establish parameters that configure changes of perspective, as well as a deep awareness of the implications that involve the making of decisions. In this field of research, the recognition and adaptation of the Future Workshop method and the creation of Scenarios were highlighted. In this juncture, the scenarios obtained evidenced the aid they can provide for the elaboration of strategies that better lead to a preferable future. In order to seek a verification of this finding, an experiment was developed resulting in a system-packaging concept complementing the applicability of the proposed methodological structure.