Consumer Push for Less Plastic Drives F&B Green Shift

The food and beverage (F&B) industry is shifting away from plastic packaging. Tetra Pak’s new research shows that reducing plastic use is a top priority for many businesses.

This research looked at how F&B companies view sustainability now and in the future.

Consumers Push for Eco-Friendly Options

Half of the companies surveyed say customer demand is the main reason they are adopting sustainable practices. This aligns with another study by Tetra Pak on consumer preferences for packaging. That study found that 74% of people are more likely to buy a brand that talks about environmental issues. Also, 42% of people are willing to pay more for packaging that is good for the environment. This shows there is a strong business case for reducing environmental impact.

Companies Embrace Sustainable Solutions

Even with economic challenges, 77% of businesses say they are willing to accept some extra costs to become more sustainable. This comes after the recent COP28 conference, where many companies made commitments to sustainability, including Tetra Pak's work on transforming food systems.

Focus on Decarbonisation and Innovation

There is a growing focus on reducing the carbon footprint of food systems. The urgency to adopt practices that achieve this is expected to increase by 10% in the next five years. When companies were asked how packaging and processing suppliers can help, 65% said new product development is important. This highlights the crucial role of innovation in the fight against climate change.

Gilles Tisserand, Vice President Climate & Biodiversity, Tetra Pak, comments: “The food and beverage industry is at a critical moment, rethinking its way of doing business to help address the climate emergency and dealing with the inevitable impact this has on their operations and solutions. They are looking to suppliers to help them thrive in an increasingly competitive market, and we remain committed to playing our part, keeping the innovation engine running to develop new research, collaborative ecosystems and product offering.”

He continues: “Our innovation pathway is driven by renewability and recyclability, ensuring the decarbonisation and circularity of materials and addressing the need for sustainable food packaging. Findings such as the fact that cartons are considered by consumers to be the most ‘environmentally sound’ beverage package, while plastic is considered the least,10 are a testament that we are on the right path. You only need to look at the fact that we sold 46% more packages made with plant-based polymers in 2023 compared to 202111 to see that the industry is committed to change.”

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Source: Tetra Pak