Huhtamaki India and Embassy of Finland host the second Think Circle forum

Huhtamaki India, provider of primary consumer packaging and decorative labelling, and part of Huhtamaki Oyj, a Finland based global food packaging company, has concluded the second edition of Think Circle at Embassy of Finland in New Delhi.  

The event, organized in partnership with the Embassy of Finland, and knowledge partner Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) kicked off with an exclusive, closed-door roundtable and featured a presentation of the new 'Design for Recycling Guidance for Films and Flexible Packaging.' These guidelines, developed and launched by the CII-India Plastics Pact’s (IPP) initiative in December 2024, mark a pivotal moment in advancing a circular economy for flexible packaging in India. 

The event witnessed participation from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), and other leading industry players, think tanks, policymakers, and innovators, highlighting the untapped opportunities in revolutionizing India's packaging ecosystem. 

As part of the event, a panel discussion titled ‘Redefining the circularity of flexible packaging in India,’ featured an lineup of panelists, including Chinmaya Dandekar, general manager – packaging and sustainability, Godrej Consumer Products, Rashi Agarwal, chief business officer, Banyan Nation, Vishal Poojara, procurement and packaging sustainability, ASEAN region, Mondelez India, Sanjay Gupta, head of packaging, DS Group, Snigdha Berry, Corporate Affairs, Nestlé; and Dhananjay Salunkhe, managing director of Huhtamaki India. The session was moderated by Ruturaj Kamthekar, vice president, strategic business development and marketing, Flexible Packaging at Huhtamaki. 

The presentation of design guidelines was one of the landmark moments of the event. Flexible packaging dominates India’s plastic usage, accounting for 73 percent of all plastic packaging. Further, the market is projected to grow to USD 12.72 billion, with a CAGR of nearly 11 percent from 2021-2025, according to the company. Its widespread application spans essential categories, including 93 percent of food products, 84 percent of personal care items (units sold), and 98 percent of homecare related products. However, the packaging sector faces significant hurdles in recyclability due to the widespread use of multilayered, non-recyclable materials. The newly introduced guidelines provide technical and feasible inputs to organizations, supporting them in transitioning to recyclable flexible packaging. These guidelines aim to increase awareness and promote the use of mono-material designs, restricting harmful pigments like carbon black, and advocating for recyclable barrier layers. 

Dhananjay Salunkhe, managing director at Huhtamaki India said: ‘We are proud to host the presentation of these design guidelines for flexible packaging in India. The country faces challenges with effective plastic waste management and is at a critical juncture in redefining its packaging practices. These guidelines are a crucial step toward creating a circular economy by ensuring flexible packaging is designed for recyclability. At Huhtamaki, we are committed to collaborating with partners to raise awareness and support the widespread adoption of recyclable packaging, contributing to a more circular future.’  

Think Circle is a forum fostering open discussions on challenges and opportunities in achieving circularity within the packaging value chain. 

Commenting on the collaboration, HE Kimmo Lähdevirta, ambassador of Finland to India, said: ‘Finland has long been at the forefront of circular economy innovation, pioneering sustainable solutions that transform how we design, use, and recycle materials. For Finland, circular economy is a tool for achieving sustainable development, combatting climate change, saving natural resources, and improving the state of the environment, all while generating economic growth and jobs. This event reflects Finland’s commitment to partnering with Indian companies and stakeholders to advance the circularity of flexible packaging in India. By combining Finnish expertise in sustainable design with India’s dynamic innovation ecosystem, we can create solutions that set new benchmarks for sustainability and inspire change globally.’ 

Seema Arora, deputy director general, Confederation of Indian Industry, said after the event: ‘CII’s work on sustainability supports Indian industry in a range of areas. Where plastic packaging is concerned, a key challenge for the FMCG industry in India is to create recyclable options for flexible formats. Through the India Plastics Pact, CII provided an enabling platform to collaboratively develop a design guide for films and flexible packaging. The guidance document, co-created with stakeholders across the plastic packaging value chain will help brands and convertors move towards a uniform design practice for flexible packaging placed on the Indian market.’