A review by: Luigi Operato, Alberto Panzeri, Gaia Masoero, Andrea Gallo, Leonardo Gomes, Wael Hamd
The food packaging sector sits at the center of some of Europe’s most pressing environmental and regulatory challenges. In 2021, packaging accounted for around 40% of all plastic waste generated in the EU, making it the largest contributor to plastic waste streams. Each EU citizen produced an average of 35.9 kg of plastic packaging waste, marking a 27% increase compared to the previous decade and underscoring the urgency of transitioning toward more sustainable and circular systems.
Against this backdrop, the scientific review “Food packaging use and post-consumer plastic waste management: a comprehensive review” provides an in-depth examination of the current state of the sector and its key transformation pathways. The study explores how the growth of the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry drives demand for packaging and analyzes the technical, economic, and regulatory trade-offs shaping both packaging design and end-of-life management.
The review outlines the European regulatory framework governing food safety, sustainability, and labeling requirements, offering clear context on the obligations that F&B operators must navigate. It also investigates the main strategies for post-consumer plastic waste management, with a focus on mechanical and chemical recycling, as well as the progress still needed to meet EU recycling target.
In addition, the study identifies barriers that continue to hinder the adoption of more sustainable packaging solutions—from technical performance requirements to consumer perceptions. It highlights how packaging design strongly influences recyclability, supply-chain efficiency, and user acceptance, emphasizing the need for collaboration across the entire value chain to develop effective and scalable solutions.
Finally, the review presents several innovation opportunities for the coming years, including emerging materials, circular approaches, improved traceability, and more efficient waste management systems. Together, these advances point toward packaging solutions that balance health and safety, environmental sustainability, and economic feasibility, fully aligning with the European Green Deal and the mission of the MAGNO project.
Read the full review here.
