Top Trends in Eco-Friendly Food Packaging for 2024 -25

Over the past few years, the packaging industry has witnessed significant transformations. As consumer awareness about environmental issues has grown, so has the demand for sustainable solutions. Eventually, this shift has led to the rise in the popularity and adoption of eco-friendly food packaging.

“Eco-Friendly Food Packaging – Innovative approach that prioritizes the use of materials and processes that have minimal impact on the environment.”

As a well-informed global citizen, you would be aware of eco-friendly food packaging. This innovative type of food packaging is designed to reduce waste, have low carbon footprints, and promote the use of renewable resources. In an era when global warming is rising at a high rate (an increase of 0.11 ° Fahrenheit in average global surface temperature per decade since 1850), the adoption of eco-friendly packaging serves as a genuine measure to avoid the environmental effects.

Though eco-friendly food packaging is just getting started, its future potential is immense. Not only that but there are some ongoing trends in eco-friendly food packaging that deserve your attention. That’s why we’ve compiled this detailed blog post about the top trends in eco-friendly food packaging to look for in 2024-25.

Before jumping into the blog post to explore the exciting trends, let’s take a look at why many businesses are shifting to eco-efficient food packaging options. Is this really a concern for the environment or just a new tactic to stay relevant in the ever-evolving business landscape? Let’s unravel this mystery, too.

A Growing Adoption of Eco-Friendly Solutions in Business Landscape: Is This Really a Concern or New Strategy to Stay Relevant?

In the last few years, various types of businesses have shifted to eco-friendly packaging options. According to the report by Future Market Insights,

‘The eco-friendly packaging market is predicted to achieve a value of $285.3 billion in 2024. Moreover, it is projected to surpass a value of $490.05 billion by 2034 with 5.8% growth.’

‘It should be noted that the total value of the sustainable packaging market has witnessed a significant growth of 4.9% from 2019 to 2023. In 2019, the total market value stood at $229.6 billion.’

Given below are the top countries which are projected to witness the highest adoption of eco-friendly packaging.

• United States
• Germany
• UK
• India
• China

By looking at these official statistics, it is clearly evident that the business landscape is rapidly shifting towards eco-friendly packing options. The main reason behind this might be the ability of sustainable packaging options to make a minimal impact on the environment, resulting in low carbon footprints and waste. However, there are more pivotal reasons behind the rise of eco-friendly food packaging options in the business landscape. Let’s quickly take a look at them.

1. Regulatory Compliance

On January 11, 2024, NASA confirmed through an analysis that ‘2023 was the warmest year on record in history’.

According to analysis and various climate publications, 2023 was 0.60 degrees Celsius warmer than the average earth’s temperature from 1991 to 2020. 
 
Various organizations and nations have set goals to avoid destructive environmental effects in the future. The United Nations even restructured its Kyto Protocol (an official framework convention on climate change) to minimize the harmful effects on the environment and climate. Due to strict environmental regulations, companies are required to comply with these regulations to avoid penalties and fines.

2. Progressive Consumer Value

Whether it’s music, entertainment, business or environmental regulations, millennials and Gen Z have distinct, impactful and progressive viewpoints on each aspect. They are vocal advocates for effective measures to protect the planet. Most of the young population today aims to make a more inclusive, responsible, and sustainable world. Thus, if businesses want to keep their facility running successfully, they need to fulfill the unique demands of consumers.

This is why; in order to attract more consumers and audiences, businesses and big brands ensure a commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Bottom Line of This Section

The business landscape is one of the hardest grounds to survive on. With each passing day, its dynamics change, and so do its key leaders. Therefore, if businesses want to survive in this ever-evolving world, they need to fulfill two of the most essential considerations: legal regulations and consumer demands.

Forget about the personal opinions of each business. Each player in this landscape adopts eco-friendly solutions to gain a competitive edge in the industry. Even if they genuinely care about the environment by viewing it as an ethical responsibility, they still have to adopt sustainable packaging options due to regulatory compliance.

As a result, it’s challenging to categorize their motivations—whether they’re genuine concerns for the environment or just a tactic to boost their business.

Five Trends in Eco-Friendly Food Packaging for 2024 -25

With the rise of eco-friendly food packaging, various companies are experimenting with innovative solutions to transform the industry and attain a greener future. In 2024, various trends in the eco-friendly food packaging market are gaining a lot of acceptance from both consumers and environmentalists. Some companies also aim to bring new technologies to sustainable food packaging in 2025. Let’s take a look at each of these trends in detail.

1. Rise in Fiber-Based Minimalist & Creative Packaging

In 2024, many big companies and brands are adopting fibre-based minimalist and creative packaging instead of harmful plastic ones.

Fibre-based packaging refers to materials made primarily from natural fibres derived from plants, such as wood pulp, bamboo, and agricultural residues. Compared to conventional plastic packaging, fibre-based packaging is a sustainable and environmentally friendly option.

This type of packaging includes products like cardboard boxes, paper bags, moulded pulp containers, and biodegradable trays.

According to Future Market Insights, the fiber-based packaging market is projected to surpass the value of $308.8 billion in 2024. Moreover, it is predicted to grow significantly, with a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 1.9% from 2024 to 2034. 
However, if we look at the growth rate of plastic packaging, it is projected to grow only limitedly, with a CAGR of 4.1% from 2023 to 2032.

This clearly indicates that plastic packaging reliability is declining across the business landscape. As a result, eco-friendly food packaging solutions are gaining more popularity.

2. Increase in Paper & Plant-Based Bottles

Most of you would have many memories of drinking classic beverages like beer, wine, and soft drinks in glass and plastic bottles. Today, these beverages give nostalgic feelings like no other, as they were integral parts of our childhood. But in order to preserve our childhood, we can’t risk the childhood of future generations.

Considering this viewpoint in mind, many companies are using durable and lightweight paper and paper-based bottles at high rates.

Paper bottles feature an inner lining made from biodegradable or recyclable materials, ensuring they are durable and can hold liquids without leaking. The papers used in the making of these bottles are typically derived from renewable resources like trees.

If we talk of plant-based bottles, they are mainly crafted from materials derived from renewable plant sources, such as corn, sugarcane, or other biomass.

Do you know the biggest reason behind the emerging popularity of plant-based bottles? They aim to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and decrease environmental impact.

Many leading brands and companies have even started offering this eco-friendly food packaging in paper and plant-based bottles.
In 2016, Tetra Park was the first company in the food packaging industry to have its climate impact reduction targets verified and approved by the SBT (Science-Based Targets) initiative. In 2017, they achieved a 13% reduction in their total climate impact emissions. Now, they aim to reduce their operational emissions to 42% by 2030.

Even Tetra Park collaborated with Coco-Cola for the critically acclaimed campaign ‘Go Nature, Go Carton.’

3. An Introduction to Seaweed-based Packaging

We’re writing a list of the top trends in eco-friendly food packaging, and it’s not possible for the list to be complete without mentioning Seaweed-based packaging.  
Many publications, including Forbes, have counted seaweed-based packaging as one of the safest alternatives to plastic packaging.

Made from various types of seaweed or algae, seaweed-based packaging solutions are gaining massive popularity due to their numerous environmental benefits and their potential to reduce plastic waste.

In 2023, Seaweed packaging market size stood at $681.1 million.

According to San Global Research, the seaweed packaging market is projected to reach $764.4 million in 2024. Moreover, it is estimated to witness significant growth from 2024 to 2032, with a 6.5% CAGR. In 2024, Europe was the biggest market leader in seaweed-based packaging and its usage. Meanwhile, North America has emerged as the fastest-growing market leader in seaweed packaging.

4. Use of Recycled Plastic Bottles & PCR Materials

Did you know the Coca-Cola Company has provided 100% sustainable recycled plastic bottles in Canada since early 2024? According to sources, this adoption of eco-friendly food packaging would save 7.6 million pounds of new plastic this year.

The use of recycled plastic bottles and Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials is an effective way to reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste and contribute to a circular economy.

Recycled plastic bottles are simply made from used plastic containers that have been collected, cleaned, and processed into new products. Meanwhile, PCR materials are derived from items like bottles, containers, and packaging that have been recycled and processed into new products.

According to Future Market Insights, the market for global recycled plastic packaging options is projected to reach $28.9 billion in 2024. With a CAGR of 7.8%, this market value is estimated to pass $61.2 billion by 2034.

Coca-Cola, Love Beauty & Planet & various food businesses have already started adopting this method.

Canada and the United States of America have the fastest-growing CAGRs for the adoption of recycled plastic packaging solutions.

5. The Demand for Lighter and Smaller Packaging

The most shocking trend in the eco-friendly food packaging industry sector was the consumer demand for lighter and smaller packages. Yes, you heard right! A bit surprising? Well, it has to be.

This growth is more evident in Asian countries like Japan, Singapore, and India than in other nations. Various factors, including environmental concerns, convenience, cost savings, and changing lifestyles drive this trend.

• With lighter packaging, less energy will be wasted on production and transportation.
• Smaller and lighter food packing is easier for customers to carry, store, and dispose of.
• Smaller and lighter packaging helps to enhance the aesthetic appeal of products.
• Eating food in low quantities would also help maintain health and well-being.  

These are some of the valid consumer reasons behind consumer demand. Though the production of smaller and lighter packaging is still low, let’s just see how this will transform the industry in the future. The market for lightweight and smaller packaging was expected, back in 2020, to grow with a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 4.6% by 2030.

Wrapping Up

When the world was happily celebrating the 2024 New Year, Japan had to witness the strongest earthquake since 1885. With a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter Scale, this earthquake was the deadliest natural disaster in Japan since the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. According to sources, 241 people lost their innocent lives in this earthquake.

Many of you would definitely know about this, but we’re just recalling this unfortunate disaster as several such types of disasters will occur in the future if we humans don’t stop hurting our environment. Earth’s global temperature is rising daily due to increasing carbon output. In this crisis, opting for eco-friendly food packaging options is one of the smallest yet effective ways to promote a safe and green future.

Governments are responsible for implementing eco-friendly measures, businesses and companies must use sustainable solutions, and we should also fulfill our duty by adopting every eco-friendly option.

Together, we all can promote a ‘Safe Future, Green Future’.

Also, if businesses in Montreal, Quebec, are looking for high-quality eco-friendly food packaging supplies, contact Groupe LKG. With years of experience, Groupe LKG provides the best eco-friendly food packaging supplies in Montreal, Quebec Our collection includes a wide range of sustainable packaging options, including wooden foot kits, Kraft paper bags, and more. Explore our collection to order your required food packaging products.