Eco Flexibles predicts shift to data-led sustainability

Eco Flexibles, which helps brands reduce their carbon footprint with lightweight, monopolymer flexible packaging designs, believes that how FMCG, food and grocery businesses are shaping their green strategies has evolved, with new considerations for brand owners.

‘We are essentially seeing a “hard reset” in sustainability thinking,’ said Simon Buswell, sales and marketing director at Eco Flexibles. ‘Consumers have made it clear that simple claims don’t wash, and of course, the market is reacting accordingly. Especially with the Green Claims Code now in place, which is designed to tackle the challenge of greenwashing, it’s all about bringing meaning and value back to the term ‘sustainable’. As it stands, unless the messaging around it is tight and specific, it doesn’t mean anything anymore – for either consumers or the brands.‘

According to Buswell, 2022 is set to be a big year of change in terms of sustainability, and it will be more apparent than in packaging. 

‘We are expecting data-driven decisions to take center stage, which is a must, given the huge volumes of packaging in today’s high-speed marketplaces,’ added Buswell. ‘Historically, sustainability data - if calculated at all - has been a by-product of packaging design, measured and kept on file, but not really used. We expect a hard switch for the new year, with data needs leading design, not the other way around and the packaging industry needs to be able to validate its environmental recommendations.’

From an initial assessment, measurable metrics such as carbon footprint calculations through scopes one, two and three, waste generation and legislative compliance are crucial, according to the company. In the coming year, rather than choosing a pack design or technology and tweaking its characteristics to lower environmental impact, the data will inform design first.

Eco Flexibles is a business that aims to change the face of sustainable flexible packaging. The company partners with brands of every size to develop bespoke packaging that boosts their sustainability performance.

‘In our position as a dedicated specialist, we have a first-hand view of how sustainable packaging design is evolving and it’s clear that the ability to collect, collate and manage data will prove key to long-term sustainability success. This position also gives us unique insight when partnering with brands; we develop solutions around the needs of the product and the business to provide solutions that don’t just look great on paper, they perform on-shelf too,’ concluded Buswell.