A new report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation recommends paper as an alternative to flexible plastic packaging, setting out criteria to avoid impacts like forest degradation and water depletion during the transition.
Sachets, wrappers, pouches, and other plastic flexibles are believed to be the fastest-growing type of plastic across the world. However, they are also considered a major source of pollution – especially in countries with less developed formal collection and recycling systems.
According to the report, paper-based alternatives can ‘more easily’ be designed for recyclability and biodegradability. This is set to benefit markets where flexible packaging is likely to end up in the environment, as it would tackle plastic pollution in the natural landscape while enabling the packaging to be recycled once the relevant systems are in place.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation suggests that its report is ‘particularly relevant’ for countries such as India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Small-format flexible packaging, currently used for products ranging from snacks to shampoo, is named as a systemic barrier in the Foundation’s 2030 Plastics Agenda for Business. The report indicates that these plastics should be tackled as a priority, raising the example of scaling reuse models.
Although paper-based innovations are currently in development, the report argues that these solutions do not yet exist at the necessary scale, cost, or performance to replace plastics completely.
It goes on to indicate that paper packages will offer ‘little to no’ environmental benefits if they are not responsibly sourced or produced. Otherwise, the transition may contribute to forest degradation and apply further pressure to climate and water resources.
To prevent these environmental challenges, the report sets out to establish roles, guardrails and criteria for paper-based alternatives. Suggestions include avoiding hazardous chemicals in packaging design; developing a pack that meets technical, economic, and consumer needs in practice; ensuring local recyclability and upscaling collection infrastructure; and ensuring that paper packaging fits within a broader, socially inclusive circular-economy strategy.
“Life-cycle GHG emissions, for paper and plastic choices alike, are a nuanced topic where results vary widely depending on several factors, which cannot be tied to material choices alone,” explains Laura Smith, programme manager for Plastics & Packaging at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
“Any choice of packaging must consider – and sometimes trade off – important environmental factors such as pollution, water use, and GHG emissions, while also taking into account social, technical, and commercial considerations.
“Our report sets out the six critical criteria to guide the development of responsibly designed paper-based flexible packaging, including that it is responsibly produced in a way that minimizes GHG emissions. It has been based on an analysis of the benefits – and limitations – of these solutions.
“Whether a packaging is incinerated, landfilled, or recycled at the end of its life has an important impact on overall GHG emissions. For example, in regions where waste is primarily burned, paper flexibles may have a lower carbon footprint than plastic equivalents. Whereas, if in unmanaged landfill, paper-based packaging may release methane, leading to higher emissions than plastics.
“Sourcing practices are also fundamental to overall carbon impacts. Other factors include elements of packaging design, including material thickness, whether any coatings are used, and even the choice of supplier.”
Upholding paper-based packaging as ‘one part’ of an international circular economy, the report calls on businesses and policymakers to establish safeguards for its responsible use and accelerate its development for flexible packaging solutions.
“Flexible plastic packaging pollution is a systemic challenge – with an estimated 20 trillion items expected to enter our oceans over the next 15 years,” continues plastics strategy lead Sander Defruyt. “There’s no silver bullet, therefore adding paper-based alternatives to the mix helpfully expands the toolbox, complementing other priority solutions such as reusable packaging.
“This will require major innovation and action from industry and policymakers to speed up development and scaling, guided by the six critical criteria in this report to ensure we don’t replace one problem with another.”
According to the Foundation, its report has been endorsed by 44 businesses, NGOs, investors, and academics.
Pablo Costa, global Head of Packaging, Digital & Transformation at Unilever, comments: “Next-generation paper-based flexible packaging is a key focus for Unilever and an industry-wide priority.
“This report is clear on the important role paper will play and what it will take to scale solutions that are desirable for consumers, better for the environment, and viable for businesses.”
Gaurav Goel, professor at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, adds: “This report, backed by evidence and stakeholder input, sets the initial canvas on challenges and critical conditions to turn the promise of paper flexibles into a scalable reality.
“It strongly emphasises the need to combine judicious material choice and radical material innovation with deep collaboration and data-driven assessment for engineering packaging solutions that protect the product and the planet.”
The report comes after the annual Ellen MacArthur Foundation published its Global Commitment Progress Report, which tracks industry-wide progress in these areas, which sought to track the packaging industry’s key metrics such as virgin plastic reduction, recyclability and meeting reuse targets as they stand in 2026.
In other news, PRS IN VIVO managing director Patrick Young and strategic market researcher Haneefa Buckley spoke to Packaging Europe about the impact of paper-based packaging on neurodiverse and disabled consumers. Avoiding the sharp crinkling sounds of plastic packaging is expected to improve the sensory perception of a pack and improve grip, but overloading a packaging design with sustainability messaging is feared to overwhelm some neurodivergent shoppers.
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