Flexible packaging is the fastest growing plastic packaging category. Because it is almost uniformly single-use, with very low recycling and high leakage rates, it is also by far the most challenging market segment to address on the journey towards a circular economy for plastics.
This work aims to support organisations in achieving their circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. for plastics goals by providing a practical direction forwards for flexible packaging.
Overarching strategy
Time to act
With input from over 100 experts, this work presents an overarching strategy for flexible packaging and identifies 21 specific and urgent actions that need to be commenced immediately by businesses and policymakers in order to make significant progress towards 2025 targets and beyond. It is primarily designed for businesses, collaborative cross-sector initiatives, policymakers and other organisations that are already on their circular economy journey, and spans from highlevel calls to action that will be of use to executive teams, to detailed insights that will be of use to internal R&D and technical teams.
