Packaging for people, planet and profit - A sustainability checklist

Produced jointly with INCPEN, this checklist will help companies choose and optimise their packaging systems in order to continuously improve the sustainability of their value chains.

It provides practical guidance for companies to improve resource efficiency at all stages of a packaged product's journey while ensuring that the essential functionality of the packaging is not compromised.

While including references to relevant regulation and guidance, the checklist also encourages companies to go above and beyond legal requirements.

We would value feedback on the guidance, including whether it has been of benefit to your organisation.

Foreword - Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey

Our packaging industry plays a critical role in protecting and preserving the goods the UK produces. But in the food sector, the industry also has an essential role in preventing waste. So it's crucial we continue to explore opportunities to ensure packaging is not only effective, but is also sustainable and recyclable where possible. I hope the Checklist will help to drive future innovation.

We have made great progress in boosting recycling rates and making more packaging recyclable, and we continue to see exciting innovation in this area. But there is still much more to be done to increase sustainability across the supply chain – from producers and into the home.

That's why it is so encouraging to see food and drink manufacturers, packaging companies and retailers working together on the Wrap Framework for Greater Consistency in Household Recycling, sharing a vision to make recycling at home significantly easier for the wider public.

This framework is a strong development towards a more sustainable future, helping to increase resource efficiency and waste prevention, while contributing to an overall reduction in carbon use.

A whole chain effort is needed to truly succeed, and we must all make the best use of our resources – that is why I welcome these initiatives and the work of the Food and Drink Federation and INCPEN to help us make supply chains more resource-efficient and better protect our environment.