Current Trends in Sustainable Food Packaging: Building a Greener Future

Packaging waste from food and beverage products poses a serious environmental challenge. Discarded plastics and non-certified materials significantly contribute to landfill overflow, ocean pollution, and the contamination of soil and water systems by microplastics. Meanwhile, the production of conventional packaging relies on resource-intensive processes and non-renewable raw materials, exerting unsustainable pressure on ecosystems. With growing public awareness and stronger regulations like bans on single-use plastics in the EU and emerging mandates in U.S. states, brands and packaging suppliers are under rising pressure to shift toward greener alternatives. Today’s consumers not only care about what’s inside their meals, but also how those meals are packaged, increasingly choosing products with clear eco-labels and recyclable materials. This article shines a spotlight on FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified paper as the central trend in sustainable food packaging. We explore why it matters, how it’s used in packaging, and how it leads the industry shift. Compostable and biodegradable materials enter the picture as important but supporting innovations, reinforcing circular economy goals in a complementary way.