Amidst a raft of new regulations and environmental laws, consumer-facing companies are adopting a slew of measures to switch to green packaging solutions, including adopting biodegradable materials, according to leading analytics company GlobalData.
GlobalData said the ripple effect is quite evident as clear labelling campaigns to differentiate between compostability and biodegradability by some of the key manufacturers are pushing the other companies to follow suit, and achieve sustainability goals.
“As sustainability has emerged as a mainstream concern, more brands are switching to biodegradable packaging,” said Shagan Sachdeva, project manager of Disruptive Tech at GlobalData.
“Subsequently, 2023 will be the year of the green packaging revolution where renewably-sourced materials will continue to remain in the spotlight, and will be a unique selling point for brands to edge out the competition.”
According to GlobalData’s 2022 Q3 Consumer Survey, which covered 42 countries and over 21,000 participants, around 45 per cent of global consumers look for information on carbon footprint and recyclability when it comes to product packaging.
At the same time, 69 per cent of global consumers consider biodegradable or compostable to be a crucial factor in product packaging. Of all the regions, Asia-Pacific remains the key region to be more concerned about the biodegradability factor in product packaging.
“Covid-19 accelerated the need for smart and sustainable packaging driven by the exponential growth in e-commerce,” explained Rahul Kumar Singh, senior analyst of Disruptive Tech at GlobalData.
“This is compelling manufacturers and operators to remain focused on cost-effective, optimised and sustainable e-commerce packaging solutions.”
GlobalData’s FutureTech Series report, Environment Sustainability in Packaging: Biodegradable Packaging, highlights various disruptive forces in the packaging industry, and points out how companies are proactively making commitments to improve sustainability.
Kilara Capital, an Australian-based investment management firm, invested in Grounded Packaging, a supplier of sustainable packaging products, in December 2022.
Nfinite Nanotechnology was among Amcor’s announced first batch of recipients for Amcor Lift-Off seed funding – an initiative focused on making the future of packaging more sustainable – in September 2022.
S.Lab, a Ukraine-based manufacturer of biodegradable packaging and décor items from hemp and mushrooms, secured $90,000 in venture funds in February 2022.
“Major companies within the packaging industry are not only actively seeking ways to reduce their environmental footprint by investing and formulating deals, but also looking into future innovations,” added Singh.
TIPA, an Israel-based compostable packaging firm, partnered with Apiece Apart, a US-based online clothing store, to develop a circular fashion line in December 2022. The company also published a patent for a multi-layered biodegradable packaging sheet using epsilon-caprolactone or polylactic acid as an inner layer, and a polybutyl succinate combination as the outer layer.
Huhtamaki, a Finland-based consumer packaging company, introduced a recyclable ice-cream packaging solution in November 2022. The company was also granted a patent for a highly recyclable, biodegradable packaging sheet for foods and farm produce suitable for printing and coating.
“Despite a strong push towards sustainable packaging solutions, the industrial use of biodegradable packaging is still in its infancy, and will take time to scale up,” said Singh.
“Effectiveness, durability and cost being the key challenges at present, it will be interesting to see how strategically companies can put their plan into action, and do their part in securing profits and providing a safer future for the planet, all at the same time.”
