Speaker : Debra Goulding (Foodstuffs NZ)
Exploring the shift from single-use plastic containers to a reusable, returnable service model in grocery retail, this presentation shares practical learnings from year one of implementation. While results are still emerging, the pilot has delivered valuable operational insights and highlights key considerations for influencing consumer acceptance and preference in real-world retail environments.
Debra Goulding is one of New Zealand’s most experienced sustainable packaging practitioners, with more than 25 years working across the full packaging value chain — from fibre and plastic manufacturing through to retail, recycling, and product stewardship. She currently leads the Sustainable Packaging Programme at Foodstuffs New Zealand, where she is responsible for setting strategy and delivering system-wide packaging transformation across multiple retail banners and private label brands.
Debra brings a rare combination of deep technical packaging knowledge, executive-level commercial acumen, and national policy experience. Her work spans material selection, packaging engineering, material testing, specification development, and large-scale implementation within real-world operational constraints. She has played a key role in advancing recyclability, reduction, and reuse initiatives, and is actively involved in product stewardship, recycling system design, and Australasian labelling frameworks.
A trusted industry voice, Debra holds leadership and governance roles across numerous packaging, recycling, and sustainability working groups and advisory boards, and regularly engages with government, regulators, manufacturers, recyclers, and brand owners. She is known for her clear, engaging communication style and her ability to align diverse stakeholders around shared sustainability outcomes. Debra holds an MBA and has recently completed a Doctorate in Business Administration focused on packaging waste reduction and circularity, combining academic rigour with deep, practical industry insight.
