Introduction

Sustainable packaging has been one of the talking points over the past decade. Yet, the sustainable packaging industry started slow due to various factors. Fortunately, the development of the industry has made some breakthroughs recently.

Sustainable packaging industry: the new era

According to consumer trends, consumers are willing to pay more for green, but they will also buy more sustainably packaged products if there are more available and better-labeled products. Particularly with the presence of a Circular Economy. The sustainable packaging industry has met the new era. As a result, many programs and organizations jump up and spread the idea. Companies pay more attention to the environmental impacts of their businesses. Various brands introduce sustainable packaging to enhance their brand value. To find sustainable solutions, it is essential that we first design our packaging products for recycling. Designing with the end-user in mind and ensuring an available system or programs will be key factors when determining if a specific product can actually benefit from these features. Here, we are going to talk about the sustainable packaging industry today.

Why we need sustainable packaging NOW?

Less environmental impact by the sustainable packaging industry

The issue of plastic pollution has been a long-standing controversy. Recently, it seems that we’re finally starting to make some progress on this global problem thanks in part to awareness generated by media attention and concern for our oceans’ health. The abandoned waste is still present at landfills around the world with nearly five billion tons produced annually–and these statistics don’t include all types or sizes  of items discarded in them! Also, plastic packaging cast a great impact on climate change. A report by CIEL (the Center for International Environmental Law) has shared the data.
By 2050, the cumulation of these greenhouse gas emissions from plastic could reach over 56 gigatons—10–13 percent of the entire remaining carbon budget. For plastic packaging, which represents 40 percent of plastic demand, global emissions from incineration of this particular type of plastic waste totaled 16 million metric tons of CO2e in 2015. (source: https://www.ciel.org/project-update/plastic-climate-the-hidden-costs-of-a-plastic-planet/)
Moreover, CIEL said the number does not include 32% of plastic packaging waste. Because the waste remains too difficult to calculate after disposal. However, it is not easy to completely destroy existing plastic packaging. Because it costs even more than starting a new production. And improper ways to dispose of plastics also lead to huge environmental impacts. Therefore, it’s more crucial than ever to develop a sustainable packaging industry. The environmental impact of plastic packaging has drawn the attention of a number of governments worldwide. A few regions even publish policies to support sustainable industries like this one.

Government policies support the sustainable packaging industry

In the UK, for example,
Unite to achieve the goal of 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable plastic packaging in the UK by 2025. (source:UK Plastics Convention)
This aims to propel the sustainable packaging industry in the UK. Sustainability has become more urgent than ever in the UK today. Especially under the national spreading recycling crisis currently. And the UK Packaging Convention will deliver the 100% target. The UK Packaging Convention is a long-standing organization that has been vital to the reduction of environmental impacts from consumer packaging in Great Britain since 1993. As an industry leader, PrimePac strives for sustainable solutions and best efforts when it comes to its business operations. On the other hand, the BBC reported that the UK government implemented new controls on single-use plastic products in April 2020. Also, a plastic packaging tax came into effect in the country in April 2022.

Raise brand value by sustainable packaging

More and more consumers tend to buy from companies with sustainable packaging. A study by Unilever revealed that 21% of consumers choose brands with sustainability marks on their packaging.
The study asked 20,000 adults from five countries. This represents a potential untapped opportunity of €966 billion out of a €2.5 trillion total market for sustainable goods. (source: https://www.unilever.com/news/Press-releases/2017/report-shows-a-third-of-consumers-prefer-sustainable-brands.html)
The environment is a major concern for many people, and environmentally friendly companies have seen an increase in profits due to their efforts. The result of this global survey released by Tandberg shows that 53% prefer buying from these brands over others with less polluted environments because they care about what goes into our bodies as well! Seek help from a UK company in the sustainable packaging industry.

What makes sustainable packaging?

The definition of sustainable packaging

Sustainable packaging is the development and use of packaging which results in improved sustainability. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_packaging)
In other words, it means packaging with zero/less impact on the environment. Typically, recyclable, compostable, and reusable packaging.

Types of sustainable packaging

Recyclable/reusable plastic packaging

Plastic landfill is a major contributor to environmental problems. But with your eco-friendly ideas, such as reusing them for instance when you have new gadgets in the box and sending it out or taking them on vacation then this can be sustainable! All that needs doing now are some small changes that will make big impacts down the line. Recycle your plastic packaging if it doesn’t fit any of your packaging portfolios. Take them to the recyclable center after use. Or at least put them in the trash cans, especially for plastics. Recycling is a good thing, but even better than that-buy recycled products. When you choose plastic packaging made from recyclable materials like paper or cardboard it will help save our environment by reducing carbon emissions. Therefore, recyclable/reusable plastic packaging is an easy option for sustainable packaging. Remember to use them as much as possible. There are more eco-friendly packaging ideas here.

Paper-based packaging

With its household name, paper-based packaging is one of the most common alternatives to plastics. The leftover pieces of the main paper material continue on in their cycle, becoming scrap paper that can be used for a variety of products like paper sacks, fiberboard, and more. Moreover, many companies are adopting and developing paper-based bottles as containers for coffee, soft drinks, and other beverages. You can easily find paper coffee cups when you try to get some coffee in many coffee shops today. All in all, paper packaging is a wise choice with eco-friendly packaging ideas. It is a competitive alternative over the other packaging solutions. Check the paper-based packaging solutions.

Bio-plastic packaging

The popular bio-based plastics family is called PLAs, which are made from the starch of fermented plants. Unlike traditional plastic packaging that will always end up in landfills or incinerators if not recycled, these new materials have a very specific purpose: They provide moistureproof protection for goods and can even decompose after time thanks to their unique origin. But there’s one downside—they require maintenance if left unchecked because abuse may cause environmental impacts such as increased demand leading to shortages in food production space (with increasing population). Therefore, whatever materials to use, awareness of environmental impact remains the most critical.

Leading companies focus on the sustainable packaging industry

The Australia-based Amcor Group is a multinational packaging leader. Now, Amcor focuses on packaging products of recyclable and reusable materials. In January 2018, Amcor has pledged to develop all its packaging products to be recyclable or reusable by 2025. Pact Group Holdings Limited is the market leader in rigid plastic packaging. It has established its fame in the UK. The Pact Group focuses on expanding the capability of reuse and recycling. It collects and processes plastic resin with a yearly amount of 19,507 tons as a result. Given the sustainable packaging trend, many other UK packaging companies are offering sustainable packaging solutions. PrimePac is one of them in the sustainable packaging industry. Thank you for reading. But this is not the bottom line. Some more ideas about sustainable packaging trends are below.

Sustainable Packaging Industry Trends in 2022

Optimized packaging solutions

Optimized packaging solutions are guaranteed to be safe for both the environment and your customers while reducing waste. This can help you save money on unnecessary plastic or other materials, which means more room in our recycling bins! For example, you want your jelly in a pouch with an accurate size. You can always put it in bigger pouches though. But doing this can avoid customers from posting negative comments like an oversized bag and little to drink on their SNS. Meanwhile, choosing the proper solutions requires both knowledge and experience in the packaging field. If you need help, feel free to let us know.

Bio-ink makes it fully green

Plastic packaging has been popular until today. One of the reasons is the combination of various colors. While there are limits in the colors for most fully compostable packaging. Kraft printing, for example, typically has a maximum of 2 colors. Some might question, there are bunches of boxes in the market with colorful covers. Pretty true. However, we are talking about fully compostable, including the ink. Not every box or paper-based packaging comes with bio-ink. Some of the ink can harm the environment and hurt humans. Meanwhile, the limit of 2 colors in the packaging offers only a few options in branding. Fortunately, PrimePac now offers a full-color printing solution on its whole bio-compost line. And of course, that comes with bio-ink. Even water-based adhesive we apply does no harm to the environment if buried into the ground.

Conclusion

Sustainability packaging is now the keyword in the packaging industry. However, getting sustainable packaging solutions and offering them is still a challenge. Especially for many small and medium businesses. We place great importance on sustainability and its benefits to our existence, as well as the ultimate business benefits to our goal-driven company. Therefore, we will invest in sustainability in 2022 and continue to look for options for our customers in terms of products and packaging. We understand that. And we are ready to offer you a hand. Tell us your concerns and check our cost-effective sustainable packaging solutions.