What will the beverage cartons of the future be like? Projects and forecasts

The beverage sector also needs to renew its packaging to meet the greatest needs in terms of sustainability and recycling.

In detail, among the solutions that can make the market evolve in this direction, we find beverage cartons. The latter represent a packaging solution that combines several factors that determine its sustainability, including easy recyclability and low carbon emissions to protect food and beverages, so as to allow safe transport and use.

What will the beverage packaging of the future be like?

ACE, The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment, together with its members, including SIG Combibloc, BillerudKorsnäs, Elopak, Stora Enso and Tetra Pak, spoke on this topic.

All the forces in the field, in fact, aim for the future to create an increasingly sustainable, renewable, recyclable cellulose-based packaging that has the least possible impact on the environment.

Implementing this roadmap will require decisive action on the entire supply chain, in order to obtain a production that is correctly oriented towards the creation of green packaging. First of all, work will have to be done on sustainable procurement and on the recovery and recycling of materials placed on the market.

In detail, the 10 commitments that must allow a more sustainable production of beverage cartons can be deduced from the roadmap drawn up.

Separate collection: its critic role in sustainable development

The first and ambitious commitment is to reach 90% of separate waste collection, with a recycling rate of at least 70% within the next 10 years.

Separate collection, if done correctly, can become a real resource that reduces the need to find raw material based on virgin cellulosic, so as to have additional attention to forest ecosystems.

Decarbonisation strategy: continuing the fight against climate change

We have already spoken in the past of the importance of decarbonization strategies, protagonists of a real revolution in the fight against climate change.

Also for the packaging sector for beverage products, this objective is put in black and white through the implementation of decarbonisation strategies of the production and distribution chain.

The goal is to achieve the reduction of 1.5 ° degrees / centigrade set by the “Science Based Targets initiative”.

Forecast for 2030: this is how the beverage carton will be composed

If the commitments are maintained not only by companies, but also through political measures at European level that aim to foster innovation and sustainable packaging production and the economic benefits that these entail for the manufacturing companies themselves, then we will have a modern beverage packaging. and suitable to meet the needs of the modern consumer.

By working with a supply chain approach, it will therefore be possible to obtain a packaging with the following characteristics:

• In renewable and / or recycled material in its entirety

• Fully recyclable and recycled

• Made with sustainable and certified raw materials even in the case of virgin raw material

• Packaging solutions with the lowest carbon footprint will be preferred

The beverage packaging production sector chooses the path of the circular economy and recycling to respond to the challenges in Europe, so as to contribute to the achievement of climate neutrality in support of the protection of biodiversity and the environment, while always having as objective consumer health and safety.