Beyond materials: Packaging technology as a tool against food waste
Beyond materials: Packaging technology as a tool against food waste
https://www.packaginginsights.com/special-reports/packaging-technology-food-waste.html
Publish Date: 2026-06-03 03:57:00
Source Domain: www.packaginginsights.com
Food protection is the primary function of F&B packaging. But amid rising environmental concerns, consumers are demanding the sector design circular and safe solutions.
Every component of packaging has a part to play in protecting food and reducing waste. Conversations around barriers and coatings, paper-based, monomaterial, and recycled content solutions, are at the forefront of an industry juggling two different sustainability metrics.
As the global food waste bill continues to rise, it threatens the UN’s goal to halve global food waste by 2030. Research commissioned by Avery Dennison revealed that the economic cost of food waste across the global supply chain is forecast to reach US$540 billion by 2026.
Meanwhile, global efforts to tackle food waste are unsteady, with just 30 countries at COP 30 making commitments to tackle food loss and waste.
Packaging Insights speaks to Elopak and Stora Enso about packaging techniques that can mitigate food waste, highlighting innovations beyond packaging materials. They each stress that while reducing packaging waste is vital, technologies that reduce food waste must not be overlooked.
“Packaging materials for food products must be safe and offer reliable protection first,” says Julian Krais, head of Packaging Performance at Stora Enso.
Emilie Olderskog, global head of Sustainability at Elopak, treats functionality and sustainability as the same problem, not competing ones. “A package that fails on product protection creates waste, which undermines any sustainability gained from the material itself.”
Measuring food waste
For Olderskog, the clearest measure to reduce food waste is to increase product shelf-life.
“Next-generation filling machines equipped with advanced and industry-leading hygiene features can support shelf-life extension of Extended Shelf Life processed milk,” she notes.
“Longer shelf life makes chilled distribution more cost-efficient, reduces returns and write-offs from short-dated…
