A Look into Responsible Food Packaging

This year, nearly a dozen states put new packaging laws into practice, each aiming to change the behavior of consumers, retailers, restaurants, and manufacturers. There are recycling incentives, recycled content thresholds, plastic reductions, and PFA bans, as well as allowances made for filling and refilling consumer-owned containers at stores and restaurants.¹  We see similar legislation enacted outside of our country, with European Commission rulings in 2024,² and a particular emphasis on plastics in Asia and Latin America.³ In summary, moves made at local and regional levels will add packaging complexities worldwide – especially with our current, collective dependencies on plastics.  

Studies indicate that until now, the focus has been on plastics recycling.⁴ But many argue that “recycling is not a solution,”⁵ due to a shortage of buyers (for recycled plastics), leaving an estimated 90% earmarked for landfills and incinerators.⁶

Unfortunately, our industry is a significant part of the problem.⁷ One piece of research spanning six continents concluded that “the food and beverage industry created more plastic pollution than the entire household goods industry.”⁸

But the emerging narrative has less to do with saving the planet, and more to do with preserving human health. The most troubling report uncovered 14,000 known chemicals found within food and beverage packaging, of which 25% have shown up in the human body.⁹

To provide hope and inspiration, let us share a few recent examples of brands large and small, driving next generation solutions:

Diageo

• Following the creation of the “first paper-based spirits bottle” for Johnnie Walker in 2021, the company began testing a 90% paper Dry Molded Fiber bottle, for Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur in May.¹⁰

Aldi

• The grocery chain is testing paper wrappers (rather than plastic) around bananas and blocks of butter in the UK.¹¹

Costco

• To eliminate the plastic clamshell used to house their wildly popular rotisserie chicken (nearly 140 million sold globally in 2023!), Costco debuted the flexible plastic, resealable bag in March of this year, reducing plastic use by 75%. (Unfortunately, packaging has not proven leak-proof, and some question the potential for food-borne illnesses or plastic leeching into food.)¹²

Gousto

• A collaboration between Gousto and the University of Cambridge resulted in an edible, pea protein-based wrapper for soup stock cubes, that preserves flavor and shelf life, and dissolves while cooking.¹³

Tim Hortons

• The Canadian QSR chain is testing plastic-free, fiber-based hot beverage lids.¹⁴

Katherine Plueger

Vice President, Strategy & Insights at JT Mega

Katherine Plueger conducts category, competitive and consumer research to develop the actionable insights that lead to better strategy for our clients.

[1] “Packaging laws taking effect in 2024,” PackagingDive, 1/02/24
[2] “Packaging waste,” European Commission, 2024
[3] “Global packaging regulations: tracking new laws across key markets,” Packaging Gateway, 9/17/24
[4] “Plastic pollution and packaging: Corporate commitments and actions from the food and beverage sector,” Journal of Cleaner Production, 1/10/22
[5] “Recycling is the wrong solution to the problem of waste,” Fast Company, 2/28/20
[6] “Recycling Isn’t as Clear-Cut as You Might Think,” The Wall Street Journal, 4/23/21
[7] “Food wrappers just passed cigarette butts as the most common beach trash,” Fast Company, 9/08/20
[8] “Just five companies produce nearly 25 percent of all waste worldwide,” The Sierra Club, 5/20/24
[9] “Scientists just figured out how many chemicals enter our bodies from food packaging,” The Washington Post, 9/16/24
[10] “Diageo debuts paper-based bottle for Baileys,” Beverage Daily, 5/23/24
[11] “Packaging innovations: Sustainable seafood boxes, EPR-driven water-soluble cement bags,” Packaging Dive, 1/26/24
[12] “What’s With Costco’s New Rotisserie Chicken Bags? And Are They Safe?,” Consumer Reports, 6/07/24
[13] “Gousto trials world’s first edible packaging made from pea protein,” FoodNavigator, 12/21/23
[14] “As Tim Hortons tests plastic-free lids, how eco-friendly are alternatives?” Global news, 4/15/24
[15] “There are thousands more toxic chemicals in plastic than we thought,” Fast Company, 6/24/21, “The Plastics We Breathe,” The Washington Post, 1/10/24, “PFAS and food packaging: Learn about Forever Chemicals,” National Restaurant Association, 1/26/23, “The Plastic Chemicals Hiding in Your Food,” Consumer Reports, 1/04/24