Snacks, nuts, and confectionery continues to grow as a market. Alongside this growth is the development of more eco-conscious consumers.

As a snack brand, you already know you need to deliver taste and freshness. In addition to a quality product, eco-conscious consumers want to see if your food is ethically produced, and they want to understand if your packaging is designed with sustainability in mind.

Do you know best practices to design packaging for recyclability? Or how to lower your packaging’s carbon footprint? Read on for a short introduction from Piotr Nagalski, Marketing Director for Snacks and Confectionery EMEA, to understand the snack packaging design process, how to improve sutainability, and the wider trends impacting the industry.

Q. What are the top trends currently impacting the packaging industry?

A. Right now, there are three key trends that I see having the biggest impact:

1. An increased focus on sustainability: Consumers are mindful of sustainability — especially when it comes to products they purchase. This needs to be prioritized alongside quality, taste, packaging durability, and ease-of-use to aid buying decisions. For brands, it becomes about finding the right balance to meet all these needs.

2. A more personal approach: According to a survey by Label Insight Nearly 60% of consumers say they would switch to a brand that offers personalized packaging and tailored or unique experiences. So, a more personal approach can have a huge impact on buying decisions.

3. A digital-first focus: We’re seeing the integration of technology into packaging more and more — and it’s not hard to see why. Scannable codes, augmented reality, and other tools provide businesses with new opportunities to interact with consumers, create great brand experiences, and collect valuable data.

Q. How has Amcor’s packaging evolved with these trends?

A. As our customers look at ways of reducing their own carbon footprint, we’re constantly evolving our product portfolio to support them. Our innovative solutions offer both businesses and consumers a better choice when it comes to recycle-ready packaging in plastic, paper, and aluminum. Today, 83% of our flexible packaging portfolio has recycle-ready alternatives available — something we’re very proud of and keen to keep advancing.

Q. What EU regulations on packaging do snack companies need to be aware of?

A. As the European Union transitions to a more circular economy, a variety of European legislation is being proposed or introduced — including the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), the EU Waste Framework Directive, and the Single-Use Plastics Directive.

It’s important to read up on these regulatory changes and understand how they impact your brand. And while the legislation is complex and still evolving, I believe it’s a welcome and positive step in the right direction to drive sustainable change. If you would like to find out more, I recommend our recent webinars on the topic.

Q. How does Amcor approach snack packaging?

A. We focus on four key areas:

1. Barrier improvement: We have developed new materials to protect product freshness, such as AmFiber™ Performance Paper, which provides a high-barrier, recyclable paper that delivers the performance brands need.

2. Sustainability improvement: With different barrier levels available, AmPrima® mono-PE and mono-PP packaging can help you transition to a recycle-ready packaging structure that keeps performance high on your filling lines and packing machines.

3. Easy for customers’ packing lines: The machinability of our flexible packaging solutions allows customers to run new types of packaging on existing lines, with little to no adapatations needed.

4. Customization: Amcor’s Catalyst™ innovation service can help you open up new possibilities in packaging. From consumer insights to design concepts and from mock-ups to machine trials, together our team can help you find the right packaging solutions for your brand.

Q. Are there any recent examples of your innovative products in action?

A. AmFiber™ Performance Paper is a revolutionary high-barrier paper-based solution for snacks and confectionery. It empowers brands to deliver product freshness while aligning with consumers’ positive feelings about paper packaging. It’s recyclable, FSC®-certified, and PVDC-free for a more sustainable paper pack.

Our AmPrima® recycle-ready solutions are also designed for existing recycling streams across many European countries. With a range of mono-PE and mono-PP options, AmPrima® offers a more sustainable choice for brands, with no compromise on packaging performance. And it can now include food-grade recycled material. AmPrima® is available in multiple formats to deliver the stiffness, clarity, graphics performance, and run speeds our customers need — matching the performance of current unrecyclable alternatives.

Q. Is post consumer recycled (PCR) material an option for snacks and confectionery packaging?

A. Yes, it is. PCR material is not an easy switch for food packaging. That’s because it’s hard to find recycled materials that meet food-contact regulations. However, we’ve been developing ways to address this and have recently announced a five-year deal with ExxonMobil to purchase an increasing supply of chemically recycled, certified circular polyethylene for use in food-contact packaging.

Q. How do all these changes help move the industry towards a more circular economy?

A. In January 2018, we pledged to design all our packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2025. Four years after making our pledge, 83% of our flexible plastic packaging portfolio is already recycle-ready.

Depending on the country, most of our snacks pouches and bags can be designed to fit local recycling streams, where available. We also offer our customers packaging that includes bio-based material, where a percentage of the plastic is derived from sugar cane or other renewable sources. And the bio-based material is recyclable in the same streams as standard plastics.

We’re also making progress towards reaching our goal of 30% recycled material across our global portfolio by 2030. It’s these steps that will allow us to create end markets for recycled packaging materials — and contribute towards a more circular economy.

Q. How else can Amcor help customers on their sustainability journey?

A. As a customer, you can access our ASSET™ packaging lifecycle assessment service. Certified by the Carbon Trust, it measures and finds ways to decrease packaging’s carbon footprint. You receive a detailed packaging lifecycle report that provides fact-based criteria to identify lower environmental footprint options. So you can make informed packaging decisions.

We conduct over 1,000 packaging assessments for our customers each year. And brands who can demonstrate a carbon footprint reduction of 20% or more can qualify to apply for a certified Carbon Trust label on their packaging.

Q. What about the need for snack packaging that stands up to the demands of e-commerce?

A. According to a recent report by Mondelez, 86% of global consumers now report they eat snacks. With the rise of online shopping in recent years, there’s an increasing demand for snack packaging that’s specifically designed for e-commerce. Unlike its traditional in-store counterpart, it needs to be more durable, lightweight, and tamper-resistant.

For quick commerce channels, like same-day or next-day delivery, we’re seeing a growing demand for more sustainable packaging too. This has, in turn, led to an increase in the demand for lighter packaging that can tolerate multiple shipments and handling while still maintaining its integrity.

Are you a packaging decision maker? For further details on more sustainable packaging, download our full guide here.