Sustainable food packaging and its role in achieving a circular economy - a critical analysis

Abstract

Since the discovery of plastic about a century ago, humanity has leveraged its remarkable properties across various sectors, including the food industry. Fossil fuel-based packaging facilitates the containment, protection, transportation, and consumption of food, but its entire life cycle is associated with significant negative impacts, such as the depletion of finite resources, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution. Following a linear model, once a container is opened and its contents are consumed, it becomes an environmental burden. The negative consequences are increasingly evident, prompting efforts to find solutions to the current crisis, including through the promotion of a circular economy. The objective of this thesis is to analyze whether and how the conventional food packaging sector can be transformed to become more environmentally friendly. The study begins with a literature review and an overview of the historical development of the packaging industry, highlighting its considerable negative impact and the link between artificial enclosements, on the one hand, and food loss and food waste, on the other hand. It underscores the need for a universal definition of "sustainable food packaging", as the current lack of such a definition hinders the effective evaluation and comparison of potential solutions. Subsequently, the research considers replacing conventional plastics with biodegradable alternatives. The sustainability of an innovative polylactic acid-based product is evaluated through a comparative analysis vis-à-vis low-density polyethylene. While the renewable alternative outperforms conventional plastic in certain aspects, based on the collected information and research, the data are insufficient to conclude that its overall cradle-to-cradle performance is superior to that of fossil fuel-based plastics. Specific limitations include the need for comprehensive life-cycle assessments to evaluate the direct and indirect impact on nature, as well as the lack of current infrastructure to support adequate and effective end-of-life (EoL) treatment for alternative packaging substitutes. The study also examines the current regulatory frameworks in the European Union (EU) and their limits. Harmonization among the EU Member States is a good starting point, but it is not enough. Concrete binding measures tailored to country-specific targets are needed to achieve optimal outcomes that transform the packaging sector. The lack of legislation regarding the use and treatment of biobased, biodegradable, and compostable materials is also noted. For the empirical part of the study, a survey was conducted among respondents in Austria and Bulgaria with the goal of evaluating their level of awareness of the negative impact of packaging and food waste on the environment, their habits, and their understanding and implementation of practices like recycling. Significant information gaps were identified in certain areas, and it can be surmised that a higher standard of living and education in sustainability are prerequisites for promoting environmentally friendly habits. The study concludes with a proposal for the creation of a one-stop-shop online platform aimed at raising awareness through targeted channels among the residents of all Member States about the ways in which they can contribute to the sustainable transformation of the food packaging industry.