Homeopathic Medicines: Good for the Body and Good for the Environment
By Mark Land, MS, RAC-US, AAHP President
The impacts of industrialism have been under attack for many decades. By some measures, previous generations of American consumers have pushed the devastating effects of unbridled manufacturing out of view. Offshoring manufacturing to remote corners of the world. This is particularly true for process industries including production of bulk and fine chemicals and their downstream products. Modern consumers however are pulling back the cover on this ugly secret and demanding more transparency into the origin and constituents of products they use. Sustainability and all of its attending implications are front and center in consumer buying decisions. In this issue we examine environmentalism and its implications for homeopathic medicines.
Packaging: This has come a long way from its basic function to protect the product. Homeopathic products must keep pace with consumers’ expectation for packaging, including being attractive and distinct enough to promote itself, as well as now being environmentally sustainable.1
Environmentally friendly packaging is increasingly important to consumers. According to a 2020 McKinsey global survey of 10,000 people, 68 percent of U.S. consumers say they are willing to pay “a lot” or “a bit more” for sustainable packaging of foods.2 Sustainability is already a key component of packaging changes.
The pharmaceutical industry must balance satisfying the safety demands of industry regulators with the desires of modern convenience-minded, eco-conscious consumers. This is likely more important for homeopathic manufacturers whose products have been purchased traditionally by the natural channel shopper.
Global markets for packaging materials and technology offer a variety of solutions for both the regulatory constraints and commercial demands for innovative packaging.3 Homeopathic products are well-positioned to take advantage of new technologies given the international footprint of many U.S. marketers of homeopathic products. Read more in the AAHP article: “Sustainable Packaging: Considerations for Homeopathic Manufacturers.”
Ingredients: Homeopathic products have a long history of safety primarily owing to their dilute nature. This has given rise to many claims on packaging: safe, natural, environmentally-friendly, non-GMO, gluten free. Make you can substantiation these claims.
Source Materials: Many of homeopathy’s most important ingredients originate from plant and animal species. Ensuring that they are obtained in a sustainable way is critical — not only to support label claims but to ensure their availability for future generations.
Manufacturing: The most resources and potentially the largest source of pollution related to homeopathic is in the manufacturing process, which is typical for many products. Read more in AAHP’s article: “Improving Your Environmental Reputation,” for sustainable practices ideas to conserve energy, minimize wastewater, recycle scrap materials, and reduction of waste in general.
Thank you for joining us on this sustainability adventure. Please mark your calendars for AAHP’s Annual Membership Meeting on March 8 at 11 a.m. EST.
References
1 GlobalData Plc. (March 10, 2023). Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Size, Share, Trends and Analysis by Region, Material (Glass, Plastic, Paper and Paperboard, Metals, Rubber), Product Type (Primary Packaging, Secondary Packaging, Tertiary Packaging), Drug Type (Prescription Drugs, Over-the-counter Drugs), and Segment Forecast to 2026 (pp. 1–235). London, UK. Accessed at: https://www.globaldata.com/store/report/pharmaceutical-packaging-market-analysis
2 Eriksson, D., Granskog, A., & Feber, D. (December 16, 2020). Sustainability in Packaging: Inside the Minds of Global Consumers. (New York, NY): McKinsey & Company. Accessed at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/paper-forest-products-and-packaging/our-insights/sustainability-in-packaging-inside-the-minds-of-global-consumers
3 Quelch, R. (October 5, 2022). Sustainable Pharma Packaging: Breaking Down the Barriers to Adoption. European Pharmaceutical Review. Accessed at: https://www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com/article/174874/sustainable-pharma-packaging-breaking-down-the-barriers-to-adoption