Food Packaging: Moving Towards Sustainable Solutions?

Food packaging is often at the center of discussions, whether about overpackaging issues or new materials used to replace plastic. A study published at the end of 2022 highlighted the uselessness of certain food packaging and the fact that many products are filled with empty space.

While discussions about overpackaging are currently a hot topic, the use of food packaging is quite old. We owe the ancestor of the tin can to Napoleon, who promised a reward to anyone who could come up with a system capable of preserving food for his army for long periods of time. 

Nicolas Appert then had the idea of sealing filled jars before heating them. Corrugated cardboard was discovered in 1850, and the first individual cookie wrappers appeared in 1890! Then, in the midst of the Industrial Revolution, other materials were developed, including cellophane (1908), polystyrene (1931), and polyethylene (1957). Lastly, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and PLA (polylactic acid) appeared in the 1970s and 1990s respectively. Today, PET remains one of the most widely used plastics in the beverage market. 

While packaging was initially intended primarily to protect food, it is now used as a marketing tool.

Most food packaging is made of plastic. Although the proportion of packaging that is recycled is gradually increasing, it remains low. There appears to be no recycling system for several of the molecules that make up plastic. In 2020, the French government adopted the 2020 Anti-Waste Act, which aims in particular to "increase the proportion of reused packaging compared to single-use packaging." 

The overall goal is to end the use of single-use packaging by 2040. Among the various areas of focus, one concerns the elimination of disposable plastic through the promotion of bulk purchases to reduce packaging. Another area for improvement is package recycling. Only 13.5% of global waste is recycled.

Faced with regulatory constraints and consumer pressure, manufacturers and the government have established numerous research programs dedicated to the issue of food packaging. France has also implemented a national strategy called "Sustainable and Healthy Food." Its goal is to support the development of guaranteed food-safe packaging through calls for projects and expressions of interest. 

For example, Nespresso has developed capsules made from compostable paper, bearing in mind that these aluminum capsules are already made from 80% recyclable aluminum.

The All4Pack trade show highlights innovations in packaging and has awarded a prize to a new film for reusable containers that can be used on stainless steel, porcelain, ceramics, and glass. It is 100% recyclable and meets all packaging regulations. Among other packaging systems under study, projects are underway to develop active and smart packaging. The former interacts with food to improve its preservation, while the latter would eliminate the need for expiration dates and, above all, reduce food waste.