Packaging: A Key to Reducing Food Waste and Mitigating Environmental Impact

February 25, 2025|Exclusive Features, Flexible, Materials

Flexible packaging addresses food waste at every stage of the product life cycle by extending shelf life, preventing spoilage and enhancing convenience. © Dusan Petkovic – stock adobe.com

Flexible packaging offers a proactive solution to the growing challenge surrounding greenhouse gas emissions.

By Dan Felton, President and CEO of the Flexible Packaging Association

Preventing food waste has emerged as a critical strategy for mitigating the environmental consequences of our global food system. According to a PTIS, LLC report, food production accounts for over 26 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, placing significant pressure on land, water, and energy resources.¹ By contrast, the environmental impact of food packaging – from material extraction to manufacturing – is minimal, representing only 2.2 percent of global emissions. This stark differentiation highlights the need to reassess packaging not as an environmental burden but as a powerful tool to prevent greater harm caused by food loss.

Flexible packaging plays a crucial role in this effort. By extending shelf life, preventing spoilage, and enhancing convenience, it directly addresses food waste at every stage of the life cycle. This link between packaging and food waste prevention is formally recognized in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 12.3, which aims to halve global food waste by 2030. This goal underscores the necessity of solutions targeting the consumer and retail levels where most food waste occurs.

The Environmental Impact of Food Waste

The environmental impact of food waste is profound. Decomposing food in landfills emits methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. In the United States alone, food waste produces emissions equivalent to 50 million gasoline-powered vehicles annually. Compounding the environmental toll, food waste occupies 24 percent of landfill space, representing the largest category by volume. Economically, addressing food waste offers a significant opportunity, valued between $155 and $405 billion annually. However, with food waste increasing at a rate of 6 percent per year in the U.S., comprehensive strategies to combat this crisis are urgently required.

Flexible packaging offers a proactive solution to this growing challenge. Its design inherently promotes sustainability by reducing spoilage and waste, which has a much higher environmental cost than the packaging itself. Flexible packaging extends shelf life by creating barriers that prevent oxidation and contamination. Vacuum-sealed pouches and multi-layer films are prime examples of preserving perishable goods for longer periods.

Additionally, portion-controlled and resealable packaging formats allow consumers to use only what they need, reducing the likelihood of excess food disposal. Flexible packaging also provides enhanced protection during transportation and storage, minimizing damage and ensuring food reaches consumers in optimal condition.

Modified Atmosphere Packaging

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) serves as a compelling case study illustrating the impact of flexible packaging on food waste prevention. This technology replaces oxygen within packaging with gases such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide, inhibiting microbial growth and oxidation. As a result, MAP extends shelf life across various food categories, yielding an annual impact of $987.9 million.

Produce benefits significantly, with an impact of $248.4 million, as micro holes in packaging allow for controlled oxygen exchange, preserving freshness. Dairy ($152 million), meat ($152.9 million), bakery goods ($12.2 million), and snack foods also see substantial gains from this technology. In the meat industry, MAP reduces oxygen levels to around 2 percent, preventing the growth of harmful bacteria like Clostridium botulinum while retaining meat quality.

Vacuum Packaging

Vacuum packaging, a related innovation, eliminates oxygen entirely to further inhibit spoilage. This technique generates $577.9 million in annual benefits, particularly in the dairy ($145 million), meat ($42.3 million), and frozen food ($58.7 million) sectors. Vacuum-sealed packaging conforms tightly to products like sausages, preventing freezer burn and oxidation. This intimate contact between product and packaging is a feature unique to flexible materials, highlighting their indispensable role in food preservation.

Water Vapor Barriers

Flexible packaging also contributes to waste reduction through improved water vapor barriers, with a $1.06 billion annual impact. These barriers regulate moisture levels, preserving texture and preventing microbial growth in cereals, chips, pet food, and frozen items.

Similarly, light barriers that prevent nutrient degradation contribute $590.7 million annually to food waste prevention, benefiting dairy ($152.9 million) and meat products ($39.5 million).

Antimicrobial Packaging

Antimicrobial packaging is another critical innovation, valued at $1.05 billion annually. This technology actively reduces microbial growth within packaging through compounds like chlorine dioxide, enhancing the shelf life of produce ($248.4 million), dairy ($161.4 million), and bakery goods ($12.2 million). Responsive packaging takes this a step further by incorporating sensors that release preservatives when necessary, contributing an additional $191.6 million in annual savings.

Reducing Food Waste

Resealable and fridge-friendly packaging designs further support food waste reduction by extending product freshness and minimizing spoilage. Resealable zippers and lidstocks prevent contamination and freezer burn, generating over $1.1 billion in annual impact. Fridge packaging, which improves visibility and accessibility of food items, adds another $1.09 billion in benefits by reducing the likelihood of forgotten perishables. Packaging that reduces in size as food is consumed also plays a role by limiting oxygen exposure and preserving product quality.

Flexible packaging facilitates food donations, aligning with the Federal Food Donation Improvement Act of 2023. This legislation encourages direct donations to food shelves, bypassing retailers and reducing landfill contributions. Packaging designs that enable easy separation of food from materials promote composting, further supporting sustainability goals.

To maximize these benefits, the flexible packaging industry must adopt a systems-based approach to sustainability. This involves highlighting the science behind packaging design, investing in research and development, and engaging policymakers and industry leaders to advocate for flexible packaging’s role in preventing food waste. Collaboration with organizations can drive innovation and expand the industry’s contributions to sustainability initiatives.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programs

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs offer another way to promote flexible packaging as a solution rather than a liability. While some EPR schemes risk overburdening packaging producers, a balanced approach can highlight flexible packaging’s economic and environmental benefits, ensuring it is recognized as part of the solution to food waste.

Flexible packaging presents a transformative opportunity to address food waste and its associated environmental challenges. By preventing spoilage, reducing methane emissions, and preserving resources, flexible packaging aligns with global sustainability goals. As the world moves toward halving food waste by 2030, innovations within the flexible packaging industry will play a vital role in shaping a more sustainable food system for future generations.

About the Author

Dan Felton is the President and CEO of the Flexible Packaging Association. Felton has extensive experience in association management and public policy advocacy, including coalition development and management, communications, membership growth, and strategic planning. Learn more at https://www.flexpack.org/.