Colour judiciously used adds to the enjoyment of food. Foods are packaged to protect them and keep them in good condition while they are delivered to shops, stacked on shelves or stored at home. Food safety absolutely requires it. Of course the production of anything, including packaging materials, uses raw materials and energy. However, both packaging material manufacturers and food manufacturers operate in an intensely competitive environment, causing continual search for ways to minimise packaging costs without compromising the protection or presentation of the product.
Packaging also reduces the amount of material entering the waste stream.
As a result, those materials are used for animal feed or other purposes instead of going into domestic waste. Likewise, energy is saved by not having to transport that inedible material through the distribution and retail chain to the consumer. Here are four examples. In 1990 the same size can weighed 56.6 g. In 1950, a glass milk bottle weighed 397 g.