Kickstart: Taking Tupperware to Target

There's a lot of pressure on both businesses and the public these days, from inflation, interest rates, supply chain problems and, for businesses, regulatory demands in some regions related to packaging.

But in Europe, those issues are causing even more pain. The inflation rate in the Euro zone averages about 10 percent for all prices vs. 8.3 percent in the U.S.

But energy costs are surging well above that level in Europe, with inflation for those utilities topping 40 percent because of the war in Ukraine — and a reliance on natural gas supplies from Russia — that is impacting European businesses and residents alike.

And while green energy such as wind turbines may be more accessible in Europe, homes that rely on natural gas heating can't simply switch to solar or wind power.

"This is still a step that is being taken," Karen Laird, editor of our sister paper Sustainable Plastics and a resident of the Netherlands, said in the Oct. 4 Sustainable Plastics Live webinar. "What systems do we need to heat a town using waste gas from industry or wind power? … We're not there yet."

But even as governments and businesses struggle to secure a steady source of heat for the coming cold months, the deadline is fast approaching to meet new sustainability goals for recycled content in packaging in Europe and, as Karen notes, recycling is an energy-intensive sector.

"This all happened very quickly, and in fact too soon," she said. "It's been an extremely loud wake-up call, but we're working on it. It's going to be a very cold winter, though."

You can get more on this discussion here as well as an update on how companies are approaching environmental, social and governance issues and a preview of K 2022. The discussion is available free to Plastics News subscribers.

Tupperware Brands Corp. is going retail.

The housewares company known for being sold at home parties is now also available at Target stores as the beginning of "our multichannel strategy globally," CEO Miguel Fernandez announced Oct. 3.

The strategy is an "and, not or" plan, he said. People who prefer direct sales through home parties can continue with that system, but those events will be supplemented with a retail sales chain that should reach younger consumers who prefer shopping at stores or online.

The ultimate Lego lovers house went on the market, but you're likely already too late to buy it.

The three-bedroom, 2,114-square-foot house in Kenosha, Wis., with a kitchen backsplash made of 4,000 individual Lego pieces has already received seven offers, including at least one topping the asking price of $250,000.

A Zillow listing for the home doesn't specifically note the Lego elements — with the most extensive being the kitchen, and other items used in a bathroom and for wall colors — but a story from NBCChicago.com notes that Jameson Gagnepain and his wife, Amy, bought it in 2010. Jameson Gagnepain is vice president of the Kenosha Lego Users Group. He built the backsplash, made using 1x4 Lego bricks, with a nephew.