The Australian Institute of Packaging, the peak professional body for packaging education and training, is expanding its program to reduce food waste in the community.

Each year the AIP conducts a food waste program in Victoria and a successful hamper packaging program for disadvantaged families in Queensland every Christmas.

Next year, the program is being expanded to include NSW.

Last week, a team of AIP Members headed to Yarraville in Victoria to help pick and pack on-line orders and mixed grocery boxes for Foodbank, Australia’s largest food relief organisation.

Their efforts helped to support more than 23 charities across the state. These included Salvation Army, Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, Uniting Care and Hope City Mission.

Together, the team packed more than 16,700kg of food orders – the equivalent of about 30,100 meals for the community.

And that equates to feeding a family of four 3-meals a day for 2,508 days or 6.87 years.

The AIP invites the packaging industry to join and participate in the AIP Foodbank programs.