What’s in store in the realm of sustainability in 2023?
With the dawn of a new year, it’s time to look at what might be on the horizon in terms of sustainable packaging for 2023. Packaging Digest recently gazed into the crystal ball to make a few predictions about the next 12 months. Here’s what they had to say:
Reverse material substitution will continue to grow.
Packaging Digest believes that the “paperization” of product packaging will keep growing—that is, plastic will continue to be replaced by paper wherever possible. They point out that there is plenty of paper available for recycling, especially since the growth of e-commerce has led to a large supply of recyclable paperboard.
The desire to trumpet compostable packaging will deteriorate.
According to the article, compostable packaging still has not reached a point where it will play a significant role in overall sustainability. Home composting isn’t widespread enough, and industrial composting still has a long way to go, too. So while compostable packaging options will continue to grow slowly, the confusion among consumers about how to compost safely and successfully will mean it won’t make a big marketing impact. At least not yet.
Europe will continue to ride and lead the anti-greenwashing wave.
While the U.S. has started to introduce some regulation around sustainability claims, the article says that Europe continues to lead the way. French law includes some pretty stringent guidelines about sustainability labeling, including making generic environmental claims for which the brand can’t demonstrate recognized performance. Europe is also seeking to ensure that terms like “biodegradable” and “compostable” meet minimum definable standards.
Secondary packaging will become a new pressure point.
Over-packaging is likely on its way out. Secondary packaging might include outer corrugated cartons, stretch/shrink film, corner boards, or straps—but it also might include paperboard outer cartons like those used for toothpaste, aspirin, or face cream. Packaging World points out that this could lead to merchandising and supply chain havoc if the regulation is too stringent.
Read the full article on Packaging Digest’s website.
What do you think this year will bring in terms of sustainability? Amazing breakthroughs always involve some challenges, but AMGRAPH can help you chart the right course for your product. If you want to improve your packaging sustainability in 2023, Contact Us today!
