ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGING AHEAD OF CHUSEOK

[Anchor Lead]

Gift-giving is a cherished tradition of Chuseok for many people. But gift packaging, while visually pleasing, can be a headache for gift recipients. In step with the worldwide efforts to protect the environment, numerous companies now market products using environment-friendly packaging.

[Pkg]

Shoppers at this department store carefully select gifts ahead of the upcoming Chuseok holiday. But they are concerned about packaging which will soon be thrown away.

[Soundbite] Park Jong-deok(Seoul Resident) : "Packaging is pretty, but they eventually turn into plastic waste and cause environmental problems."

But such excessive packaging is no longer commonplace. Instead of polystyrene, recycled paper cushion the fruits, and wooden baskets are replaced by paper bags. Wine boxes are also made with paper.

[Soundbite] Choi Seung-heon(Department Store Manager) : "Customers are environmentally conscious. So, we use eco-friendly materials for products that will not spoil during delivery."

Large supermarket chains now use different refrigerants for fresh food. Coolers for storing beef are filled with ice packs made with water and starch. Canned ham gift sets are also a holiday favorite in Korea. The ham producer got rid of the plastic lid last year and even the outer plastic wrapper this year. Compared to the Chuseok season two years ago, the company was able to reduce nearly 300 tons of plastic materials that go into packaging.

[Soundbite] Baek Na-yun(Activist, Korea Federation for Environmental Movements) : "Reduced plastic use should come first. It’s imperative for retailers and corporations to voluntarily reduce plastic packaging materials."

As people opt for substance over appearance and care more for the environment, bulky and decorative Chuseok gift sets are now a thing of the past.