A growing number of consumers are taking steps to curtail the amount of single-use plastic in their lives because of sustainability and climate change concerns.
Eco-friendly packaging was recently rated one of the top issues for the food service industry, according to the National Restaurant Association’s annual What’s Hot Culinary Forecast. In a recent survey from Mintel, 72% of Canadian adults agreed that frozen and refrigerated prepackaged meals and sides should have less packaging.
Consumers are willing to pay more for products from companies who are dedicated to reducing plastic waste, said a 2019 report from Innova Market Insights.
Challenges to developing sustainable packaging
Barriers in design and manufacturing have made the development of eco-conscious packaging a challenging feat. Production costs for sustainable options are approximately 25% higher than traditional packaging. Manufacturers have also struggled to design an eco-friendly material that is as effective as plastic in maintaining freshness.
In addition, while many consumers value sustainability, they also want containers that are resealable, microwaveable and keep food fresh.
“The consumer at this point will not sacrifice product convenience,” Sofia Ramirez, an adjunct partner at AgFunder, a company focused on food supply chains, told Crunchbase News. “So the packaging needs not just to be sustainable, but also fulfill the convenience and conservation capabilities it has been fulfilling for years.”
Recyclable options currently in the market
Perdue Farms recently unveiled compostable packaging for its frozen meat products made of cornstarch. The packaging is designed to be dissolved by running water after use.
“We’ve received many positive comments from consumers regarding the use of this compostable foam insulation,” David Zucker, the senior vice president of e-commerce and new ventures for Perdue, said.
In 2018, Nestlé committed that 100% of its packaging would be recyclable or reusable by the year 2025. The food and beverage company recently announced that it was investing up to two billion Swiss francs to accelerate the development of new sustainable packaging solutions.
"Making recycled plastics safe for food is an enormous challenge for our industry. That is why in addition to minimizing plastics use and collecting waste, we want to close the loop and make more plastics infinitely recyclable,” said Mark Schneider, CEO of Nestlé.
Like what you just read? Sign up now for free to receive the Poultry Future Newsletter.
