Whilst there is a broad consensus about the need for urgent action to reduce the impact of plastics on the environment, it needs to be remembered that plastic packaging in common with all forms of packaging has a number of practical applications for the food and drink sector notably in protecting products and ensuring they are delivered safely and in good condition from the point of production to the point of consumption. Therefore in a circular economy, packaging enables the food or drink it contains to remain in optimal condition throughout the supply chain, thereby helping to ensure it is consumed, and does not become waste.
Identifying more sustainable solutions either through improving existing formats or looking at alternative materials is a complex, expensive and time-consuming business especially if the overall sustainability of the product is not to be compromised and unintended consequences are to be avoided. However many companies are making great strides to reduce their environmental impact by improving the design of existing materials or switching to alternative materials and/or formats.
This category looks at how food and drink producers have moved towards more sustainable packaging solutions particularly in respect of plastics. Entrants may be food and drink producers implementing their own internal packaging strategies or researchers and innovators developing innovative solutions to benefit the industry.
Entrants for this category can submit entries based on:
- Researching and developing new packaging solutions which deliver improved environmental outcomes and contribute to overall product sustainability.
- A strategy of demonstrably addressing the sustainability of packaging for your products/brands.
Entrants, please note: The judges will take a material neutral approach to the assessment of entries. In particular they will be looking at the ambition and scale of the challenge to package your products more sustainably and for innovations which contribute to a net improvement in the use of resources across the whole value chain.
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Previous winners
Case Study
Sustainable Packaging Initiative 2023
Pilgrim’s Food Masters were the first to market with a move to a closed loop system using a truly circular food packaging solution called 'evolve’.
Case Study
Sustainable Packaging Initiative 2022 - apetito Ltd
apetito’s purpose has always been to “make a real difference” and nowhere is this evidenced more passionately than in the launch of its ‘Boomerang’ packaging initiative.
Case Study
Sustainable Packaging Initiative 2021 - Britvic PLC
In October 2020, Britvic announced its intent for all plastic bottles made in GB to be 100% recycled plastic (rPET) by the end of 2022, surpassing its previous target of 50% rPET by 2025.
Case Study
Sustainable Packaging Initiative 2020
Little Freddie is the UK’s first baby food brand to recycle all baby food pouches, from any brand, with zero waste to landfill closed-loop recycling technology.
Case Study
Sustainable Packaging Initiative 2020
The world has a problem with waste, not enough is recycled and too much is ending up where it shouldn’t be. As a company who produces drinks served in packaging, Coca-Cola doesn’t want to see any of it end up where it shouldn’t, and has a responsibility to help solve this challenge.