A fifth of all food packaging could still find its way to landfill and incineration in 2040, unless packaging innovations accelerate, according to a Smithers study commissioned by UPM Specialty Papers.
In the report, Sustainable Food Packaging in 2040, more than 200 global packaging professionals from across the value chain contributed to the first-ever collective assessment of key trends, which are projected to drive sustainability in the food packaging industry by 2040.
“The packaging industry will focus R&D efforts to meet increasing consumer and regulatory demand for more recyclable and compostable packaging,” Maria Saloranta, vice-president, strategy for UPM Specialty Papers, predicted.
“As a result, we expect the share of fibre-based food packaging to grow, accelerated by breakthroughs in barrier properties, and use smart technologies that help relay information to consumers quickly and easily.”
The report stated that the industry anticipates the global share of polymer-based packaging will fall by half over the next two decades in sustainable food packaging applications, while fibre-based materials are projected to contribute to over 40 per cent of all materials in use for food packaging.
“The survey shows the industry is anticipating a US$20 billion shift from polymer-based to fibre-based packaging by 2040,” noted Ciaran Little, global vice-president of business development at Smithers.
“The use of polymer packaging will not be eliminated, but will focus on robust applications in which high strength barrier requirements and reusability are critical.”
To learn more on what trends will dominate sustainable food packaging in 2040, click here for the report.
