As global concerns about environmental impact intensify, packaging, especially the use of plastics, has come under intense scrutiny. Sustainability is no longer an option; it’s a necessity for businesses looking to remain relevant in the future economy. While many companies are aware of the need for change, the momentum towards sustainable packaging solutions remains slow. At Raas Intellisolutions and Packaging South Asia, we believe that now is the time to accelerate the transition to sustainable packaging, particularly in industries such as food, FMCG, and pharma.
The journey towards sustainability can be approached through three key strategies: Reduce, Reuse, and Replace. The first and most critical step for any company is to reduce the overall consumption of resources. This involves developing a clear strategy to minimize the inputs in packaging. By focusing on reducing the size of bags, the amount of material used, and the consumption of utilities such as water and energy, companies can make a significant impact on their environmental footprint.
One of the best ways to achieve this is by collecting and analyzing data. For instance, a company should know precisely how much packaging material and utilities are consumed to produce one ton of a product. With this data in hand, it becomes possible to make informed decisions about where reductions can be made, driving efficiency and sustainability.
The second step towards sustainability is embracing the circular economy. This means creating packaging that can be reused or recycled, rather than ending up in landfills. When packaging materials retain value after their initial use, there is a strong incentive to return them to the supply chain, reducing the need for virgin materials.
Apart from packaging innovations that prioritize reuse and recyclability, the shift to a circular economy requires collaborative efforts across the industry, from material suppliers to end-users, to ensure that value is attached to packaging even after its first use.
Lastly, companies must replace traditional, unsustainable materials with environmentally friendly alternatives. This step is crucial but presents challenges, particularly when it comes to legacy equipment in factories. Many packaging lines in use today were designed for conventional materials, and retrofitting them to handle new, sustainable options can be complex and costly.
The focus has largely been on the cost and availability of sustainable materials, but a key question remains unanswered – Can existing equipment adapt to these new materials? Without addressing this, the transition will remain slow and fragmented.
What did the Roundtable on sustainability and legacy packaging equipment teach us?
The 28 August Roundtable event at the IMA conference room in Navi Mumbai was attended by brands such as Kellogg’s and Keya Foods, a few suppliers to the converting industry, converters and suppliers of packaging filling and sealing equipment, notably IMA and Uhlmann and their component suppliers such as Siemens. The idea as outlined above was to listen to the challenges from both sides – from the brand owners and the suppliers. Since everyone in the industry is talking about collaboration, how will this happen without trying to sit together and begin the conversations?
Three points stand out from the meeting although several more intertwined issues were discussed. The first point is that there is no real industry-wide consensus on what is sustainability – that we are still to arrive at common definitions and acceptances of desirable goals.
The second point that stood out is that some alignment is needed for global, national, and regional goals. Although the Indian government has set regulations for plastic waste management that carry financial penalties for non-compliance from FY 2024-25, there is no announcement yet of the cost. At the same time, there is a recalibration of the voluntary targets of significant global brand owners, most of whom are active in India as well.
Thirdly, the discussion of packaging machines itself is complicated in the sense that automation and electronic component suppliers have to extend their commitment to supporting legacy machines in the markets such as India if these machine’s life cycles can be extended and adapted to new demands such as data collection, automation, and increased efficiencies. What was clear from IMA-PG India’s chairman and managing director Mahadevan G Iyer is that for his company, modernization and extending the use of legacy machines in the field is an important area of business activity that can directly contribute to sustainability. For instance, simply retrofitting a machine for more efficient cleaning can reduce water consumption.
In all industry meetings collaboration is cited as a necessary condition for the packaging industry to take concrete steps toward sustainability. This collaboration is not new and it’s global since the industry has always relied on it. It is just that with overall sustainability, circular economy, circular packaging, and the need for data-driven and science-based reduction of carbon footprints, it has gained a new and common focus.
The Navi Mumbai Roundtable on sustainability and the modernization of legacy machines is just a regional and local manifestation of this discussion. It is an opportunity for the various players in the consumer product and packaging and recycling supply chain to get into the nitty-gritty of their role in the eventual solutions – an opportunity to walk the talk!
Overcoming the challenges
The time has come to create a community where packaging material suppliers, brand owners, and equipment manufacturers can work together. By collaborating, we can solve the technical challenges that come with transitioning to sustainable solutions. This community-driven approach will ensure that packaging lines are globally ready for the materials of the future, pushing the industry toward a more sustainable tomorrow.
Raas Intellisolutions and Packaging South Asia and key participants at the Navi Mumbai meeting such as IMA-PG and Uhlmann are committed to driving this movement forward. We invite industry stakeholders—whether you are a brand owner, material supplier, or equipment manufacturer—to join us in creating a stronger, coordinated effort towards sustainable packaging.
Together, we can create meaningful change
This article is intended to spark a conversation about sustainability in packaging. The time for action is now, and with collective efforts, we can make the future of packaging both sustainable and efficient. Raas Intellisolutions can be reached at info@raasintelli.com and Packaging South Asia can be reached at editor@ippgroup.in.
