Consumers around the world are becoming more aware
of plastic pollution as it continues to degrade our environment and oceans. The
growing use of plastics across various industries, especially the food &
beverage and e-commerce sector, as an essential tool for protection, marketing,
and others has created a need for sustainable packaging. Brands are turning
their attention towards making packaging as environmentally friendly as
possible as consumers are demanding that packaging materials they receive have
as little detrimental impact on the surroundings as possible. Major FMCG brands
like PepsiCo, Nestle, Coca-Cola, Mars, Unilever are challenging their suppliers
to achieve the target of 100% compostable, reusable, recyclable packaging by
2025.
From foods & beverages to the beauty industry,
zero waste has become a growing need to keep up with customers' expectations
and tap into a new eco-conscious consumer base. Besides, companies need to
comply with new regulations and packaging standards that prohibit the use of
single-use plastics. While some have turned to cardboard to fulfill their
packaging needs, others rely on recycled plastics like HDPE and rPET, rice
paper, seaweed, or cornstarch. The packaging industry is at the forefront of
making plastic alternative mainstream, and the progress in this direction has
been extraordinary within the past few years. Moving into 2022, plastic-free
claims will remain imperative and sustainable packaging will become a hot
commodity with rapid innovations that improve packaging materials' safety and
efficacy.
Here are the top sustainable packaging trends that
will dominate 2022.
Growing Use of Mono-Materials in Packaging
Demand for mono-material packaging has rapidly
increased across various industries, emphasizing sustainability. Mono-material
packaging includes a single type of material, which makes it easier to recycle
than the products produced with different materials. On the contrary, recycling
multi-layer packaging is challenging because of the need to isolate distinctive
film layers. Besides, mono materials manufacturing and recycling processes are
faster, more efficient, less energy-intensive, and more cost-efficient.
Manufacturers are replacing extra material layers with a thin functional coating
to enhance the functionality of the mono-materials in the packaging industry.
Japanese multinational food and biotechnology
corporation Ajinomoto has introduced a highly recyclable mono-material
packaging made with environmentally friendly materials composed of 90% of the
same material. A global leader in consumer product dispensing, Aptar has
debuted its new eCommerce-friendly, mono-material pump made of polycarbonates
or post-consumer recycled plastic. In 2021, IMA Dairy & Food USA launched a
set of ZERO Technology tools that enable food manufacturers to easily break
mono-material multipacks into individual cups.
- Resorting to Paper-based Alternatives
The sustainability packaging trend has prompted the
adoption of cartons, cardboards, bag-in-box, and paperboards, considered
'green' alternatives as they are entirely 100% recyclable. Carton recycling has
grown nearly 350% since 2009 due to enhanced recycling infrastructure with the
emergence of new technology like sorting robots. Lightweight packaging requires
less source material and less energy in manufacturing, packaging, and
distribution across channels, reducing their carbon footprint. 'Green' paper carton
packaging is an excellent choice for replacing single-use plastic packaging and
allowing customers to continuously reuse and refill containers. The ban on
drinking straws, cutlery, and other single-use catering plastics in the
European Union has created an opportunity for fiber-based alternatives to be
sustainable solutions.
Polyethylene-coated paper features excellent
moisture and grease protection, whereas recycled kraft paper bags serve as an
affordable alternative to bags previously made from virgin fiber. Suppliers
such as Paptic develop versatile paper bags that are durable enough for usable
packaging. Another supplier, Arjowiggins, produces translucent paper with
strong oxygen barrier properties, making them a viable option for packaging food
products. In 2021, beverage maker Absolut recently launched a paper-based
bottle prototype made from 57% paper and 43% recycled plastic. Coca-cola is
working with Paboco to develop their paper, and Pulpex is partnering with
PepsiCo to produce bottles from wood fiber pulp.
Glass used as packaging material holds favorable
environment-friendly perceptions among consumers as they are deemed recyclable.
The use of glass resonates with the growing consumer base looking for solutions
to minimize plastic consumption. Unlike plastic packaging, glass does not
contain bisphenol A, a chemical additive to increase strength, making it
non-toxic and impermeable to environmental factors and enhancing product
integrity. Glass has infinite recyclable potential and does not experience the
loss of quality through the process. Since glass is only composed of natural
resources, its manufacturing does not contribute to a large carbon footprint or
cause any negative impact. Lightweight glass containers are turning out to be
more sustainable alternatives compared to conventional glass containers as the
less weight simplifies transport to the customer while reducing the cost of
transportation and storage. Consumer good companies such as Nestle, PepsiCo,
and Unilever are among those companies that sell products in containers
designed to be returned, cleaned, and refilled, more than half of which are
packaged in glass.
- Rising Adoption of Bio-based Plastics
Bioplastics are often touted as the 'panacea of
sustainable packaging' due to their excellent ability to replace conventional
petroleum-based plastics and incredibly low carbon footprint. Materials derived
from renewable sources and biodegradable polymers are engineered with
microorganisms to form bioplastics. Bioplastics have recently grown in
popularity as they are rapidly adopted in food packages, straws, utensils, and
shopping bags. Biodegradable packaging breaks down faster in the presence of
heat and light; however, it can leave behind toxic residues. The advent of
nanotechnology will further accelerate the innovation related to bioplastics and
make them stronger and durable. Big brands like Procter & Gamble, Tetra
Pak, Stella McCartney, Gucci, Heinz, IKEA, Samsung, and Puma have already
turned to bioplastic solutions. Even the Food and Agricultural Organizations of
the United Nations have recommended industry players to replace conventional
plastics with bioplastics to save the marine environment. More brands are
likely to adapt biodegradable plastics in their packaging strategies to achieve
zero waste goals in the coming years.
To achieve sustainability in packaging,
manufacturers must find ways to preserve resources, minimize environmental
impact, and achieve green packaging goals. Flexible automation tools can be a
powerful and effective solution to increase production and reliability while
allowing manufacturers to quickly transform to more eco-friendly packaging
materials and options. With automated handling and robots with end-of-arm
tooling (EOAT) capabilities, designing new formats that require smaller
packages, eliminating secondary packaging, or replacing rigid packaging with
flexible ones can help reduce waste, save energy, lower shipping weights, and
cut production costs.
Using a packaging machine to cut out packaging
pieces can ensure maximum utilization of a sheet of material, cut accurately,
and eliminate product wastage. Taking advantage of artificial intelligence and
big data, manufacturers can streamline processes and reduce unnecessary steps
in the packaging process. Intelligent sensors can identify quality control
issues, determine the source, track energy and water usage, and alert for
predictive and preventative maintenance. Reducing packaging waste can help
preserve environmental resources and improve the quality of packaging.
- Developments in Active and Intelligent
Packaging
Food waste is a global environmental issue,
especially in countries where people largely rely on pre-packaged food items.
However, smart packaging can prove to be a powerful tool to address the
critical challenges of sustainable food consumption. Digitizing the food supply
chain by promoting traceability with active and intelligent packaging can help
minimize the environmental footprint of packaged foods, preserve the food
quality, and prevent food-borne diseases. In addition, smart packaging systems
can promote a circular bioeconomy as some types of biodegradable polymers can
be produced from agro-food waste. Thus, smart technology could create an
innovative and resilient, productive waste-based food packaging economy. Smart
packaging can help influence customers' decisions about buying a product by
providing them information about the source of the product materials, their
manufacturing, and other relevant information. QR codes, NFC tags,
thermochromic inks, RFID codes, etc., are some of the smart packaging features
that are being widely adopted.
- Redefining Packaging with Antimicrobial
Technology
The antimicrobial packaging strategies are being
widely adopted to prevent the migration of active agents into the packed food
item. Metal ions and nanoparticles are most commonly used for antimicrobial
packaging. Silver-based antimicrobial packaging solutions are growing in demand
across the world due to their ability to prevent foods and beverages from
spoiling. Antimicrobial packaging eliminates the need for preservatives and
control moisture, oxygen, ethylene, and carbon dioxide from entering the food items.
Antimicrobials are predominantly incorporated in
packaging material composed of plastic, paperboard, metal, and glass. The
renewed interest in packaging has arisen from the increased consumer interest
in fewer preservatives, mainly due to their side effects. Moreover, the
built-in microbial technology can help preserve food from bacteria and keep
products fresher for longer, thus ensuring sustainability in the food chain.
- Rapid Elimination of Virgin Plastic by Market
Players
The use of virgin plastic for packaging has been
rising rapidly for decades. However, brands nowadays are actively working
towards reducing waste by cutting down the use of virgin plastic for packaging
and increasing the recycled content of plastic packaging. Major corporations
like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Unilever, P&G, General Mills, Walmart, Target,
Mondelez, Amazon, Kroger, and others have reduced virgin plastic use by 2025.
The elimination of virgin plastic would be highly beneficial for the
environment as it would reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced from the
manufacturing of new plastic and curb plastic pollution with the use of old
plastic for packaging purposes.