The world wants to go green. 73% of consumers say they ‘”definitely or probably” will change their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact (Nielsen), presenting a huge opportunity for food manufacturers.
So what are the eco-friendly food packaging options available to the food and drink industry right now? Today we look at eight eco-friendly food packaging trends sweeping the globe, and discuss some facts – and fiction – of environmental product packaging.
8 eco-friendly food packaging trends:
- Compostable food packaging
- Bioplastics
- Biodegradable food packaging
- Recyclable food packaging
- Reusable food packaging
- Optimised food packaging
- Eco-friendly logistics packaging materials
- Eco-friendly packaging for pet food
1. Compostable food packaging
Compostable food packaging is designed to be a more sustainable option. It’s often hailed as a non-toxic, alternative food packaging that creates less plastic pollution by breaking down into soil if it’s released into the environment.
But, there’s a bit more to it than that.
Hot compostable food packaging
A lot of compostable food packaging is made from a polymer called Polylactic Acid (PLA). PLA can’t be broken down in a typical home composting environment. It needs temperatures of over 60C – which is hotter than home compost will get – so needs an industrial facility to first shred it, then treat it under sustained high temperatures. If you dump compostable plastic in a landfill or backyard compost heap, it won’t break down properly at all.
While commercial composting facilities are becoming increasingly widespread, many countries (even countries offering compostable plastics) still lack the infrastructure and dedicated collection systems, making this a less appealing eco-friendly food packaging option than more sophisticated home-compostable alternatives.
What’s more, PLA can’t be recycled via the normal recycling streams, and will contaminate regular recycling batches if put out with conventional recycling, so typically is best disposed of in landfill.
In short: think twice before opting for PLA-based food packaging, unless you have the full product stewardship system in place to deal with it.
Find out why eco-friendly product manufacturers use Unleashed for inventory, production, purchasing & more.
Home compostable plastic packaging
If your company is to offer an eco-friendly food packaging option that users can compost at home, you need to invest in packaging products that are certified. This means they are backed up by a authoritative certification, such as:
Searching for local packing providers certified by either of these schemes is the best way to access the growing range of genuinely compostable food packaging products.
Read more: Find out about Kokako Coffee’s home compostable drinking chocolate packaging here.
2. Bioplastics
We’ve separated bioplastics into their own trend because there is more to the subject than just PLA. So, let’s dig into it.
What is a bioplastic?
When we use the term ‘bioplastic’ here, we’re talking about plastic that is derived (fully or partly) from a biomass, or material of biological origin rather than from fossil oil. Examples include PLA, starch-based polysaccharide and PBS.
The term is often overused, however, leading to some confusion over what is and is not actually a bioplastic, and what customers should do with these products when they are finished with the packaging. For example, many bioplastics aren’t biodegradable, and must be thrown out or recycled like normal plastic. Such materials include PTT and biobased PE and PET.
There are also normal plastics (i.e. called fossil-oil based plastics) which are not plant-based but can biodegrade.
Offering bioplastic to your customers
Switching to bioplastic is usually a better, more eco-friendly way to sell products than using fossil-based plastics – many can be manufactured in a more sustainable way, producing as much as 80% less greenhouse gases than, say, polystyrene (Ingeo).
That said, regulators are watching brands for how they market their plastic to consumers. You’ll have to be careful as to your claims regarding what your packaging is capable of, and what people are meant to do when they are finished with it. For example, in New Zealand, claims that a product is ‘recyclable’ when in fact it can only be recycled in limited facilities, could risk a fine from the country’s Commerce Commission.
Of course, the easiest way out of that risk is to be honest on your labels.
3. Biodegradable food packaging
We’ve used the word ‘biodegradable’ here a few times, and the phrase is booming in popularity both at the manufacturing and consumer level. But, biodegradable packaging doesn’t always do what you think it does. If you want to truly invest in eco-packaging, you need to know how to spot the good and bad biodegradable plastics.
What should ‘biodegradable packaging’ really mean?
Biodegradable refers to plastic that can be broken down in an organic fashion (eaten by microbes, essentially) and turned into biomass, gas or water. But, once again the term can be a bit loose – and manufacturers of so-called biodegradable products sometimes do not offer timeframes for the degradation process. This could mean that their plastic still takes years and years to degrade in any noticeable fashion.
- Quick fact: The UK’s University of Plymouth tested several plastic products for their degradation and found that a number of biodegradable shopping bags were still so intact as to be sufficiently strong to carry shopping after three years of being buried in the sea and ground.
So how do you find truly biodegradable food packaging?
Be alert for ‘green-washing’ – that is, products that claim to be environmentally friendly but are vague on how, or don’t live up to the claim. ‘Biodegradable’, unfortunately, is one term that’s notorious for being used to green-wash plastic packaging products.
See if you can find out the timeframe for the biodegradability of any plastic packaging you intend to use for your food or drink products. If it takes longer than a year to degrade; if it breaks down into micro-plastic instead of biomass – or requires a special facility for which there is limited infrastructure, it’s not going to be as environmentally friendly as you think and you’ll struggle to market it to consumers.
When hunting for compostable products as opposed to biodegradable, look instead for the certifications as mentioned above.
Read more:
- United States Environmental Protection Agency Frequently Asked Questions about Plastic Recycling and Composting
- United States Federal Trade Commission Green Guides
Find out why eco-friendly product manufacturers use Unleashed for inventory, production, purchasing & more.
4. Recyclable food packaging
In the hierarchy of eco-friendly food packaging options, many people consider recyclable packaging to be better than biodegradable but less desirable than compostable (where composting facilities are available). This is because they can be turned back into raw materials to be used again, whereas biodegradable plastic just breaks down – so everything put into creating it is, in a sense, lost when it cannot be reused.
However, recycling is different everywhere you sell – cities all offer different options, and consumers aren’t always sure what to do. So, what are the most recyclable food packaging materials on the market?
The 5 most recyclable food packaging materials:
- Reusable packaging (see below). If customers can avoid having to recycle, that’s always best.
- Paper. 68.2% of cardboard generated in the US in 2018 was recycled, the highest rate out of any material (EPA).
- Aluminium. Aluminium is generally considered easier to recycle than glass, however it’s safer for the planet to make new glass than new aluminium. So, if you can find already-recycled aluminium, that’s excellent (it can be recycled indefinitely). On the flip side, strong demand for new aluminium can be quite damaging for the environment.
- Glass. Glass can also be reused indefinitely making it a great recyclable choice. But, facilities to recycle glass aren’t as common as other products so you have to take into account the recycling plants available in your sales areas before committing to glass packaging. It’s also heavier to transport, which adds to overall fuel use.
- Plastics 1 and 5. Most plastic can only be recycled a handful of times before it loses too much quality. PET (the plastic with the Resin Identification code – or ‘recycling number’ 1) is considered a desirable recyclable plastic, as is Polypropylene (number 5). On the other had materials such as Polystyrene (6) and LDPE (4) (like soft plastic bags) are rarely recyclable.
5. Reusable food packaging
Recycling is great and the world needs to do more of it, but the recycling process of breaking materials down and reforming them still takes energy and creates pollution.
By contrast keeping food packaging out of the waste cycle and reusing it in its original form is virtually always a better option. Indeed, research company PreScouter labelled reusable containers as the future of the food and beverage industry.
For a product package to be reusable, however, it has to be robust. This often rules out paper as an option, with companies preferring materials such as stainless steel, silicone, glass and robust plastic.
Reusable packaging ideas in use by popular brands
- Stainless steel coffee cups with silicone lids
- Takeaway food containers made of robust plastic
- Glass jars with metal or plastic lids – bonus points if the label can be easily peeled off
- Silicone containers with plastic lids
Barriers to the widespread uptake of reusable packaging
Cost and convenience are two of the biggest barriers to reusable packaging growing more widespread.
As a food manufacturer, you’ve probably already looked at the list of packaging materials above and balked at the costs that come with mass-producing products in something like stainless steel.
Convenience is also a factor. Many brands offer discounts for any customers that can return their reusable packaging (again, more common at the retail end), but if customers can’t be bothered doing this, the effect is entirely lost.
For now, manufacturers must be clever about how they offer reusable packaging. For some, it’s a customer experience differentiator (i.e. personalised packaging). Others use it as an excuse to adjust business model or product, like Blueland that is offering dissolvable cleaning tablets instead of liquid soap (to be dissolved in reusable bottles), or Algramo which is placing vending machines in stores so customers can refill reusable containers at low cost.
Innovations in reusable packaging
Other innovative models now available include packaging as a service systems, such as Huskee Swap, which offers a reusable coffee cup wash and replace service.
Meanwhile Sydney-based B2B coffee manufacturer Kua Coffee has gone zero waste with its packaging, in part by using Unleashed Software’s serial number tracking system to follow all of its reusable coffee drums, which are recorded as an asset on sales orders and checked in and out of their warehouse as they dispatched and returned.
Maybe you are a chef looking to bring your recipes to the retail frozen food market for distribution via supermarkets. Or, perhaps you are a food manufacturing company looking for new and innovative ways to package your products.
Then again, you may be the owner of a food truck, and you are looking for new containers for your tasty offerings. The possibilities are endless.
Whatever it is that brought you here today, one thing is clear. You are looking to explore the vast selection of food packaging materials to source the proper packaging supplies for your food products.
Now, you could always punch "food packaging" into google and browse page after page of descriptions. But, wouldn't it be great if there was a comprehensive list of food packaging materials in one easy-to-navigate place?
Ask, and you shall receive!
With multiple decades in the food packaging industry, Industrial Packaging has seen it all. We are well versed in the different types of food packaging supplies currently available on the market.
We have helped countless food industry professionals source the appropriate food packaging materials. And, we can do the same for you!
This article will review a selection of top food packaging materials. When you are finished reading this article, you will be able to choose the correct food packaging materials for your business.
What Are The Different Types Of Food Packaging Materials?
To say that the world of food packaging is a galaxy or even an entire universe unto itself is the understatement of the year. Indeed, the vast plethora of options when it comes to food packaging supplies is mind-boggling!
As such, we won't be able to cover everything this universe has to offer in this post. Instead, we will focus on the most popular food packaging items consumers faithfully purchase day after day, year after year.
Here, we will explore a collection of both flexible and rigid forms of food packaging. We will discuss packaging materials that are both earth-friendly and, in some cases, not so much.
In the section below, our journey through the cosmos of food packaging materials begins. Come with me, and together we will explore this universe.
1. Flexible Pouches
Flexible pouches are one of the fastest-growing segments of food packaging today. For the most part, consumers absolutely love them. In fact, the global flexible pouches market is currently estimated at around USD 53.7 billion in 2021. And, the market is expected to soar to USD 73.5 billion by 2026!
So what's all the hype about? Why do both food manufacturers and consumers love these pouches so much?
First of all, these pouches are environmentally friendly. In fact, like most flexible packaging supplies, they have a significantly lower carbon footprint than the majority of alternative packaging materials such as glass, metal, cardboard, and hard plastic. Flexible pouches also take up much less space than these alternative items in the landfill.
But sustainability is not the only reason flexible pouches (also known as stand-up pouches) are so popular with food producers and consumers alike.
Food manufacturing companies love these pouches because they are much less expensive than the majority of the alternative materials mentioned above. They are also much lighter, which translates to significantly less expensive shipping costs.
Consumers love flexible pouches for many reasons. In addition to being shatter-resistant, they often have unique features that other packaging materials don't. For example, many flexible pouches feature clear plastic windows, allowing you to see the food product within before you purchase it.
As a flexible packaging supply, you can also inspect the products contained within and feel the texture of the food with your hands. In addition, flexible pouches also often feature valves that serve a two-fold purpose.
Most commonly found on coffee packaged in gusseted flexible pouches, package valves keep oxygen from getting into the bag and spoiling the product. But, they also allow air to escape the pouch. This enables consumers to smell the different varieties of coffee which makes for a more interactive and enticing customer experience.
Finally, stand-up pouches can be fully printed 360 degrees around the package with bright colors, unique typography, graphics, logos, and product information. This makes them very eye-catching to consumers. With the scent, sight, and touch features mentioned above, it is no wonder that flexible pouches are taking the world by storm!
2. Glass Jars And Containers
Glass jars and containers are well-known, and much loved forms of food packaging material. For over a hundred years, glass has been extremely popular with consumers.
Many food products packaged in glass have extensive shelf lives and boast an air of luxury when compared to many other types of packaging materials.
Since glass jars and containers are generally transparent, the packaging allows consumers to see the product inside the container. This allows them to inspect the product before making a purchase.
Another significant draw to glass for consumers is the fact that glass is 100% recyclable. With that being said, it should be noted; glass has an extremely high carbon footprint.
Depending upon the logistics of where the products are being shipped, the carbon footprint may negate the earth-friendly aspect of its recyclability.
This is due to the heavier weight of glass which also makes it notably expensive to ship. As glass is a solid form of rigid packaging, it also takes up more space on the truck during transportation. This equates to fewer packages per shipment and further increased costs for shipping.
Finally, with glass, there is another problem for both consumers and manufacturers.
Glass's propensity to shatter when dropped or struck make it a potentially messy cleanup should you accidentally drop or break the container. Additionally, broken glass can be harmful or dangerous.
3. Clamshell Packaging
Clamshell packaging is a member of the carded packaging family. Clamshells are most commonly used for food packaging. Still, they are also popular in consumer goods, often used in place or in tandem with blister packs (another member of the carded packaging family).
Clamshells are often made from plastic, paperboard, recycled paper, plant-based materials, or styrofoam. A clamshell features two "shells" (made from one of the materials mentioned above). The shells are connected on one side, while the other side features some type of clasp or nob that can be used to lock and unlock the container.
Clamshells are commonly used for packaging sandwiches, salads, produce, chicken wings, BBQ ribs, and other foods and consumer products such as fishing lures or hardware.
Clamshells can be found at supermarkets, food trucks, food marts, gas stations, salad bars, serve-yourself hot food bars, country stores, hardware stores, and various other food and consumer goods retailers.
The recyclability of clamshells is dependent on the type of material that the container is made from. For example, plastic clamshells, which are most commonly made from PET plastic, are entirely recyclable. Plant-based clamshells, on the other hand, while compostable (in an industrial composting facility) are not.
4. Metal Cans
Like glass, metal cans have been a staple of packaging supplies for over a hundred years. In fact, tin cans dating back to the 1920s and beyond are often coveted collector's items.
Mostly made from tin or aluminum, metal cans remain an extremely popular packaging supply to this day. This is primarily because they are 100% recyclable, reasonably affordable, and have superior shatter resistance compared to glass.
Tin cans are mainly used for packaging food such as fish, chicken, beef, pork vegetables, sauces, and soups. Meanwhile, aluminum cans are more commonly used for packaging beverages such as beer, soda, energy drinks, and, more recently, water.
As previously mentioned, tin and aluminum are entirely recyclable. However, they both feature higher carbon footprints than alternative materials such as flexible packaging.
Furthermore, suppose the cans are not cleaned of food or liquid particulates and labels and adhesives before being recycled. In that case, they will ultimately be sent to the landfill.
Need help finding the right food packaging materials?
5. Shrink Film
Shrink film is a transparent plastic film that shrinks uniformly when heated. When using this material, the product is packaged inside of a clear sleeve made from shrink film. Each side of the sleeve is sealed shut with a heating element on a device called a sealer.
Next, the sleeved product moves via a conveyor belt through a machine called a heat tunnel. In the tunnel, a heating element heats the film, causing it to shrink uniformly around the product.
This gives the final product a nice glossy sheen which beautifully reflects light in an eye-catching way while awaiting the consumer, sitting on store shelves.
Shrink film has many applications, including packaging for frozen and non-frozen food, electronics, board games, DVDs, CDs, video games, and many other consumer goods.
Some formulations of shrink film are recyclable, while others are not. Biodegradable shrink films that are made from plant-based materials are also available.
6. Paperboard Boxes
If you have ever purchased a twelve-pack of canned beer or soda, you are familiar with paperboard boxes. Paperboard boxes are a thinner cousin to corrugated boxes. They are trendy packaging materials used for a wide variety of product packaging applications.
Paperboard boxes are made from (as you might expect) paperboard. But, what exactly is paperboard?
Paperboard is a paper-based material that is thinner than cardboard but thicker than paper. Paperboard boasts superior attributes to paper, including enhanced rigidity.
Paperboard boxes are used for packaging all sorts of products, including cereal, crackers, snacks, soup mix, canned beverages, pasta, meal kits, monthly club kits, and many other types of food and consumer goods.
Paperboard is fully recyclable if it is not stained with liquids or food particulates and features a lower carbon footprint than metal and glass.
7. Skin Packaging
Skin packaging (also known as skin packs) is another fantastic form of carded packaging that has become a staple at your local supermarket. Skin packaging is a paperboard backer called a skin board on which the product being packaged is placed.
Next, the skin board is covered with surlyn film or skin poly film. Finally, the product is vacuum-sealed shut. This results in the air being removed from the package and the film tightly forming around the product.
Skin packs are commonly used for packaging fish, beef, chicken, pork, car parts, tools, hardware, and many other consumer products.
As a flexible packaging supply, skin packaging has a much lower carbon footprint than many popular packaging material alternatives. They take up much less space in the landfill and are lighter than rigid packaging supplies.
Due to their light weight and lower materials usage, you can fit more products on your trucks. The shipping cost is much lower when compared to packaging supplies such as glass, metal, and cardboard.
8. Plastic Bottles
Plastic bottles can be found in almost every retail environment. They are clear plastic containers that feature a plastic cap. After the cap has been removed, it can be screwed back onto the container to store the unused portion of the product.
If you have ever had bottled water, then you are familiar with these widespread packaging materials. Plastic bottles are primarily used for packaging beverages such as spring water, iced tea, iced coffee, seltzer water, soda water, mineral water, and various other types of drinks.
While most plastic bottles are recyclable, they often end up in the landfill due to the labels and adhesives not being removed or because of food contamination during the single-stream recycling process.
Despite the various concerns that the public has over the environmental repercussions of plastic, they are still extremely popular as beverage containers with millions of consumers the world over.
9. Strapping Material
Strapping material is a common food packaging material. Still, you won't find it on many if any products at the supermarket. That's because strapping is primarily used to secure pallets of boxes packed with the products that go on the shelf.
Strapping keeps the boxes of pallets stacked and uniform during transportation and helps prevent the pallets from collapsing during shipping.
Strapping is commonly used for packaging boxes of frozen seafood and snacks. It is also widely used for similar applications for boxed products, including books, board games, and boxes of other types of consumer products.
Some strapping formulations are recyclable, while others are not. As a flexible packaging supply, strapping boasts a very low carbon footprint and is also available in printed formats.
10. Corrugated Cardboard Boxes
Finally, we have corrugated cardboard boxes. If you have ever bought a case of wine, then chances are, you have had carried it out in a corrugated cardboard box. Additionally, if you have ordered products from Amazon, you probably have a pile of these boxes somewhere in your house.
Corrugated cardboard boxes are ubiquitous in the food packaging supply chain. Countless products are pre-packaged before being put into a cardboard box for shipping.
Next, the boxes are stacked on pallets and secured (usually with strapping or stretch film). Once they have been secured, they are loaded onto a truck for transportation.
Corrugated cardboard boxes are used for packaging frozen seafood, snacks, beverages, electronics, office equipment, and countless other consumer goods.
Are You Looking For Food Packaging Materials For Your Business?
While the list above reflects some of the most popular food packaging materials on the planet, it is by no means a reflection of all the currently available food packaging supplies.
Are you looking for packaging materials for your food packaging requirements? If so, you may or may not have found the packaging you are looking for in the article above.
Either way, you probably have questions about the materials you did or did not find while perusing this information. Would you like to find the perfect food packaging materials and related information for your business?
If you said yes, then you will want to consider clicking the link below. There you will find all the information you need regarding food packaging materials and services. If you do not see what you are looking for, simply reach out to one of our packaging experts. They will help you find suitable materials, even if you do not buy them from us!
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