Sustainability in Food & Beverage Packaging

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary

2. Short-Term Analysis

• Recent Economic Trends
• Short-Term Food & Beverage Industry Trends
• Food Industry Trends
• Recent Trends (2022-2024)
• Outlook (2025-2026)
• Beverage Industry Trends
• Recent Trends (2022-2024)
• Outlook (2025-2027)
• Short-Term Food & Beverage Packaging Trends

3. Packaging Introduction

• Study Scope & Packaging Definition
• Packaging Markets
• Sales Outlook
• Food Packaging
• Beverage Packaging
• Key Packaging Product Trends
• Corrugated & Paperboard Boxes
• Rigid Containers
• Flexible Packaging
• Materials Competition
• Key Materials & Market Trends
• Shipment Outlook
• Paper Packaging
• Plastic Packaging
• Molded Fiber Packaging
• Metal Packaging
• Glass & Other Packaging
• Glass
• Other Packaging

4. What Drives Packaging Choice?

• The Challenge in Finding the Best Packaging Solution
• Pricing Trends & Packaging Cost
• Performance
• Core Performance Attributes
• Performance by Material
• Plastic Packaging
• Paper & Paperboard Packaging
• Glass & Metal Packaging
• Emerging Sustainable Materials
• Changing Package Size Preferences
• Shelf Appeal
• Regulations
• Plastic Bag & Container Bans
• PFAS in Food Packaging
• Federal Activity
• State-Level Legislation
• Outlook & Industry Implications
• Container Deposit Laws
• Purpose & Mechanics
• Current US Landscape & Recent Changes
• Recycled Plastic Content Regulations
• Federal Procurement Guidelines
• State-Level Mandates & Legislation
• Regulatory Challenges in Food Contact Applications
• FDA Approvals & Expanding Supply of Food-Grade Resin
• Extended Producer Responsibility
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

5. Consumer Attitudes & Packaging Preferences

• Packaging is Important to Grocery Shopping Consumers
• Attitudes About Eco-Friendly Packaging
• Priority of Eco-Friendly Packaging Features
• Consumer Attitudes Toward Recycling & Environmental Responsibility
• How Consumers Rate Material Sustainability

6. What Is Sustainability?

• Introduction
• Total Environmental Footprint
• Key Metrics
• Corporate Goals & Progress
• Disclosures & Standards
• Key Goals
• Resource/Waste Reduction
• Energy Efficiency
• Material Impacts on Energy Use
• Design & Distribution Efficiency
• Shift Toward Flexible Formats
• Pollution & Waste Prevention
• Food Waste Reduction
• Areas of Focus
• Recycling
• Overview
• Access & Household Participation
• E-Commerce & Retailer Initiatives
• Recycling Rates by Material
• Challenges in Multi-Material Packaging
• System Constraints & Infrastructure Investment
• Corporate & Industry Initiatives
• Outlook
• Recycled Content Usage
• Paper & Paperboard
• Plastics
• Glass & Metal
• Retailer & Policy Pressure
• Biodegradability
• Compostability
• Renewable Resources
• Reusability
• Packaging Material Sustainability Comparison
• Competitive Factors
• Paper & Molded Fiber
• Plastic & Bioplastics
• Glass & Metal
• Material Recycling Rate Comparison

7. Market Spotlight: Beverage Packaging

• Market Scope
• Demand Forecast
• Materials Comparison
• New Sustainable Packaging Developments
• Lightweighting & Source Reduction
• Recycling & Recycled Content Integration
• Alternative & Hybrid Material Developments
• Suppliers & Sustainability Goals
• Major Supplier Strategies
• Industry-Wide Sustainability Trends
• Recycled Content & Material Circularity
• Lightweighting & Source Reduction
• Reporting & Disclosure
• Low-Carbon Production Investments

8. Material Spotlight: Mono-Materials

• Product Description
• Market Overview
• Supplier Trends
• Converters Expand Recyclable Film & Pouch Portfolios
• Material & Resin Producers Enable Next-Generation Mono-Structures
• Strategic Alignment & Certification

9. Product Spotlight: Labels

• Product Description
• Demand Forecast
• Competitive Products & Technologies
• Materials Comparison
• Paper Labels
• Plastic Labels
• Other Label Materials
• New Sustainable Product Development
• Recyclability & Material Reduction
• Digital Traceability & Consumer Engagement
• Freshness & Waste Prevention
• ESG Alignment & Market Integration
• Suppliers & Sustainability Initiatives

10. End User Strategies & Goals

• The Walmart Effect
• Recycled Plastic Content Targets
• Corporate Commitments & 2025 Goals
• Progress & Shortfalls
• Regulatory Drivers
• Outlook
• Shifting Away from Plastic to Paper- & Plant-Based Packaging
• Prominent Labels Can Convey Subtler Sustainability Attributes
• Expansion of Reusable Packaging Programs

11. Plastic Packaging Sustainability

• Leading Packaging Products
• Key Sustainability Metrics
• Plastics Recycling Rate
• Recycled Content Usage
• Key Producer & Brand Efforts
• Challenges to Expanded Use
• Industry Goals & Progress Toward Targets
• Labeling & Bale Standards
• Consumer-Facing Labeling Initiatives
• Bale Standards & Sortation Improvements
• Captive Recycling Operations
• Source Reduction Efforts
• Lightweighting & Material Redesign
• Right-Sizing & Packaging Minimization
• Resin Efficiency & Downgauging
• Biodegradable Plastics
• Material Advances
• Food & Beverage Packaging Applications
• Compostable Plastics
• Material Advances
• Commercial Food & Beverage Packaging Applications
• Infrastructure & Certification Challenges
• Biobased Plastics
• Material Developments
• Brand & Converter Adoption
• Packaging Producer Strategies & Goals
• Leading Plastic Packaging Producers
• Pactiv Evergreen
• Plastipak Packaging
• Printpack
• New Product Development Efforts
• Recyclable Mono-Material Formats
• Compostable Plastic Formats

12. Paper & Paperboard Packaging

• Leading Packaging Products
• Key Sustainability Metrics
• Paper Recycling Rate
• Recycled Content Usage
• Source Reduction Efforts
• Biodegradable & Compostable Products
• Packaging Producer Strategies & Goals
• Fiber Sourcing Initiatives
• Recycled Content Goals
• Development of Recyclable & Compostable Coatings
• Energy Efficiency & Emissions Reduction
• EPR & Circular Economy Reporting
• Collaboration & Industry Partnerships
• New Product Development Efforts
• Next-Generation Barrier & Coated Papers
• Compostable & Recyclable Cupstock Developments
• Printing & Branding Enhancements

13. Metal Packaging

• Leading Packaging Products
• Key Sustainability Metrics
• Metal Recycling Rate
• Recycled Content Usage
• Source Reduction Efforts
• Packaging Producer Strategies & Goals
• Alignment with ESG & Disclosure Frameworks
• Strategic Areas of Investment
• New Product Development Efforts

14. Glass Packaging

• Leading Packaging Products
• Bottles
• Jars
• Key Sustainability Metrics
• Glass Recycling Rate
• Recycled Content Usage
• Role of Cullet in Glass Manufacturing
• Recycled Content Levels
• Constraints on Cullet Use
• Source Reduction Efforts
• Lightweighting of Bottles & Jars
• Limitations & Trade-Offs
• Packaging Producer Strategies & Goals
• Adjusting to EPR Legislation
• New Product Development Efforts

15. Molded Fiber Packaging

• Leading Packaging Products
• Materials Overview
• Rough Molded Fiber
• Smooth Molded Fiber
• Key Sustainability Metrics
• Molded Fiber Recycling
• Recycled Content Usage
• Source Reduction Efforts
• Biodegradable & Compostable Products
• Feedstocks & Base Fiber Performance
• Barrier Coatings & PFAS Phaseout
• Composter Acceptance & Market Position
• Wood Pulp vs. Agricultural Waste
• Wood Pulp
• Agricultural Waste
• Packaging Producer Strategies & Goals
• Fiber Sourcing & Alternative Materials
• PFAS-Free Barrier Development
• Other Strategies
• Huhtamaki
• Novolex
• Hartmann
• New Product Development Efforts
• Advances in PFAS-Free Barriers & Functional Coatings
• Broader Fiber Feedstocks & Supply Localization
• Growth in Beverage Packaging Formats
• Design & Manufacturing Enhancements

16. Appendix

• Report Details
• Definitions
• Abbreviations
• Freedonia Methodology
• Study-Specific Methodology
• Sources
• Associations & Agencies
• Related Studies & Reports
• Macroeconomic Assumptions
• Economic Environment
• Demographic Trends
• Consumer Spending
• Retail Sales