The Future Of Packaging

Following the release of a report by Leeds Beckett University, we look at the challenges for the packaging industry over the next 10 years and recommendations for a more sustainable future.

To many, the packaging industry appears to move at such a pace that it’s difficult to predict what will happen next month, never mind a decade in the future. But researchers at The Retail Institute, part of Leeds Beckett University, have released a new report that goes into detail about the future of the packaging sector with regard to sustainability.

The report draws upon the expertise of senior leaders in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) supply chain, as well as a panel of academics, to map out the best sustainability outcomes for the packaging industry by 2034 and provide recommendations for businesses, governments and trade bodies.

“When it comes to environmental sustainability, the stakes are high and few understand this better than the packaging industry,” states the report’s Foreword. “The drive to eliminate plastic pollution was only the beginning. It uncovered the complexity of value chains, regulatory frameworks and consumer behaviours, and highlighted the urgent need for more systemic, science-based environmental action, from protecting food resources to decarbonising supply chains. What is required now is nothing short of a comprehensive, society-wide green transition.”

Themes And Recommendations

The report follows a similar report released in 2020 by The Retail Institute, which identified several interdependent topics, such as consumer behaviour and sustainable communication, diversity in packaging materials, environmental performance metrics, evolving regulation, fragmented waste management systems, and the need for organisational change across the stakeholder landscape.

While these issues still exist, the 2025 report outlined a number of updated themes, including:

• Changing consumer behaviour: Recognising the shifting expectations around sustainability and transparency in packaging.
• UK self-sufficiency: Addressing the reliance on foreign-imported materials and an underdeveloped recycling infrastructure.
• Transforming waste value chains: Emphasising circular economy strategies, including re-use, recycling and material recovery loops.
• Cross-sector collaboration: Strengthening innovation partnerships across producers, retailers, non-profits and policymakers.

Following the themes, the report then went into its key recommendations for the industry:

• Industry-led change over government dependency: Businesses must proactively lead reforms rather than wait for regulatory mandates.
• Anti-greenwashing legislation: Regulated transparency to protect consumer trust and provide clarity in environmental claims.
• Educational investment: Encourage the promotion of consumer awareness about recycling, litter and sustainable disposal behaviour.
• Systems thinking adoption: Treat packaging decisions as interconnected with broader environmental, commercial and social systems.
• Waste infrastructure development: Build UK-specific capacity to support scaling circular packaging processes.

“This project demonstrates the value of multi-stakeholder initiatives in addressing critical societal and commercial challenges, including climate change and environmental sustainability,” said Olga Munroe, Head of the Retail Institute. “It’s an example of how, through a facilitated academic platform, the packaging industry can come together and meaningfully shape a sustainable future.”

Real-World Solutions

In addition to the report, students at Leeds Beckett University have been getting involved in sustainable packaging projects of their own. Having previously worked with Haribo and Tic Tac, they collaborated with Nestlé on its Smarties brand to develop a paper-based packaging concept, supported by media planning and consumer awareness campaigns to promote recycling. This work directly influenced the global rollout of Smarties’ 100% recycled paper packs, replacing an estimated 250 million plastic packs sold annually.

For more information on the Future of Packaging Report 2025, go to leedsbeckett.ac.uk/the-retail-institute/future-of-packaging