Here are some of the more obvious conclusions that can be drawn from the study Flexible packages often deliver more product with much less packaging than do rigid containers. Examples include buying pasta or rice in bags rather than boxes. Lighter packaging can mean a lot less waste. Take beer, for example. Buying in aluminum cans versus glass bottles will reduce the weight of packaging refuse by over 165 pounds a year, and that's assuming only one six-pack consumed per week.
Larger sizes translate to big packaging savings.
Juice bought in gallon versus half gallon jugs, soft drinks purchased in 2 liter bottles rather than cans, and tuna bought in large versus small cans all save materials and energy. Besides the cereals, many luncheon meats are now sold in bag-only packaging. Thus, bulk cheese in plastic wrap uses much less packaging than individually wrapped cheese cubes. Ditto for tuna in big cans versus the little tiny cans held together in a paperboard sleeve. One of the less obvious conclusions that can be drawn from this study is that from a packaging standpoint, plastics have a positive role to play in waste reduction.