Packaging protects and preserves products and ensures that they arrive in perfect condition. But producing packaging also consumes resources and disposing of it results in a large amount of waste, especially in the growing online trade. This is an economic and an environmental burden. Packaging and packaging waste are high on the political agenda in the EU and in some EU Members States both through the implementation of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive and the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme. Customers are also demanding better, greener packaging alternatives.

Some companies are responding to this challenge by developing sustainable packaging strategies. These address key issues and practices including how to reduce packaging weight/volume, making it easier to refill, reuse and recylce packaging, and using certified and recycled materials in packaging.

Some overarching principles that can be applied to packaging procurement or design to improve sustainability include:

• Use fewer materials in any single packaging solution to make recycling easier
• Use mono-materials where possible
• Design for ease of separation to aid recycling
• Communicate the packaging material and recycling message
• Design packaging so that all contents can be easily extracted
• Make packaging reusable
• Avoid extraneous or additional items on sales packaging as they may contaminate recycling streams
• Package goods in the right quantities to eliminate products going to waste. This holds especially for perishable and fresh products (food), to a lesser extent cosmetics
• Minimise packaging (avoid additional layers of packaging)