2022 Sustainable Packaging Roundup

As brands work to achieve environmental and social governance (ESG) goals and meet consumer demand for sustainable packaging, they are stepping up investment in sustainable packaging innovations. A survey by Jabil found that “the vast majority of brands are developing sustainable packaging programs.”  

According to the survey, many companies are moving toward both recyclability and the use of that recycled material. Half of survey respondents said they are working to improve the recyclability of their current packaging portfolio, and 48% indicated they are adopting or evaluating the incorporation of post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials into their packaging. 

Companies across the globe are using recyclable material in packaging and developing a host of other innovative sustainable packaging solutions to reduce their environmental impact. Some of the solutions introduced in 2022 include: 

• CCT’s aluminum lug EEASY Lid debuted on store shelves in October as Boyer’s Food Markets became the first supermarket chain in the country to use the EEASY Lid on its new in-house pasta sauce line. Available in all 19 of Boyer’s stores across Pennsylvania and using recyclable aluminum, the EEASY Lid aligns with consumer preferences for sustainable packaging, helping Boyer’s expand the customer base for its new pasta sauce line and boost brand loyalty.

• The Clorox Company developed a multi-purpose refillable cleaner that comes in a spray bottle which can be used up to 30 times. The refill pods contain a cleaning solution that activates once attached to the bottle. According to a report, the overall plastic reduction realized from using only one spray bottle is 80%.

Source: Kraft Heinz

• Kraft is currently testing the brand’s first-ever recyclable fiber-based microwavable cup for its Mac & Cheese product. According to the company, the innovative cup, which is both recyclable and compostable, will save an anticipated “60 million KwH of energy per year, the equivalent amount of energy it would take to microwave nearly 1 billion Mac & Cheese meals, while saving the equivalent emissions of driving a typical passenger vehicle 120 times around the Earth.”

• Apple packaged the new iPad Pro in 99% fiber-based packaging, which comes from sustainable forests and is 100% biodegradable.

• Flinders University materials researchers and German biomaterials developer one • fıve are using seaweed extracts to develop biopolymer coating materials that could solve packaging waste in the fast-food industry. The University stated that the “new non-pollutive biomaterials are designed to replace conventional fossil-based plastic coatings used in grease-resistant fast-food packaging.”
• After three years of research and development, Nespresso recently unveiled a new range of home compostable coffee capsules. According to the company, several aspects of the capsule feature proprietary technology, including the biopolymer lining inside the capsule, which protects the coffee against oxidization. The innovation widens sustainable choices already offered to Nespresso consumers through its aluminum capsules.

These and other innovative sustainable packaging solutions are being developed and launched to deliver on the imperative for sustainable packaging to protect the planet and meet consumer demand for eco-friendly products. The EEASY Lid is readily recognizable on store shelves as sustainable packaging and can help brands deliver on this green packaging imperative. 

Contact us today to learn more about CCT’s sustainable EEASY Lid.