In the packaging of confectionery, baked goods and snacks, the issue of sustainability has now arrived, and the industry is working on solutions. For these to be truly sustainable, it is important to approach the topic holistically.

By Dr. Kerstin Hermuth-Kleinschmidt

Sustainability is gaining importance as a criterion in consumers’ purchase decisions. According to a survey carried out by Ipsos, 77 % of German consumers want as little packaging as possible, 63 % of them would even consider changing their shopping site in case this criterion is not met. Single-use plastic is particularly criticized. 71 % of consumers would prefer a ban. Brands and companies that are engaging in environmentally friendly practices, on the other hand, are evaluated positively by three quarters of German consumers. And consumers perceive confectionery as one of the market segments where a reduction of packaging should and could take place.

But what is just as true: Important consumer trends are counteracting the call for less or no packaging. Growing mobility and snacking culture call for resealable, stable packing.

Whether hygiene or guaranteeing shelf life and quality of the product: Packaging for confectionery and bakery goods fulfills crucial functions. In order to do so, packaging materials have to meet certain requirements with regards to barrier properties, for example concerning gas imperme-ability and light protection. Sustainable packaging material has to meet these requirements as well. Apart from this, packaging is important in terms of product communication: It has to provide product information to the consumers, attract their attention and position the brand as unique and – in this context – as sustainable.

Packaging catches the customer’s eye immediately. Yet, it is important to think sustainability holistically. A lifecycle analysis of various confectionery products shows that the sustainability impact of packaging is minor compared to factors such as raw material procurement, production or transport: When it comes to using abiotic, that is, non-renewable resources, raw materials and the product’s ingredients have the greatest impact. If you take greenhouse gas potential, on the other hand, then transport has the largest impact. To enhance the sustainability of their products across the whole lifecycle, companies can achieve a lot by improving their supply chains, an area often invisible to customers.

Nonetheless, packaging is among the topics that debates on sustainability in the context of bakery goods and confectionery focus on. And it is an area where companies definitely can contribute to sustainability: With 26 m t/a, sachets and flexible multilayered plastic packaging, which are also used for snacks and confectionery, offer the greatest potential to reduce plastic waste in oceans, for example.

The improvement of the recyclability of the packaging used and the reduction of packaging or packaging weight are the most important packaging trends in confectionery and bakery goods. As far as packaging materials are concerned, the focus is on compostable, paper-based and biodegradable alternatives. These alternatives include films with mechanical properties that often do not differ from those of standard PET/PE composite films. This means that they can be processed in the same way as conventional materials, while being completely recyclable or biodegradable.

Another trend is about replacing plastic components in composite materials with paper and thus reducing the overall proportion of plastic in these materials. These solutions include paper in tubular bags, in the lid or in the lower foil and paper-based film solutions for twist wrappings for chocolate, candy or chewing gum.

Another option is cardboard packaging that is coated with a barrier coating made of specific bio-based materials instead of plastics. It can be used as packaging for chewing gum and bakery goods, for example. It is important, however, to ensure that the barrier coating does not reduce the recyclability of the cardboard.

Furthermore, paper cases folded stably by using a specific interlocking technique, without the need of glue, can replace conventional plastic blisters. They can easily be disposed as wastepaper and be recycled.

Finally, the sustainability of paper or cardboard packaging can be improved. Grass paper is one option for the packaging of confectionery and bakery goods: It is recyclable, compostable, and approved for use as a packaging material in the food sector. Its environmental balance is far better than that of paper made from cellulose. In the production process, where no use of chemicals is required, up to 75 % of CO2 emissions can be saved.

It should be noted that the topic of sustainability has come to stay in the context of bakery goods and confectionery. Consumers not only demand more sustainability with regard to the ingredients used in the products, but also, and above all, in the area of packaging. The industry is aware of the urgency of the topic, and solutions are being worked on. In order to find really sustainable solutions, however, it is important to approach the topic of sustainability holistically and to communicate transparently. Packaging is part of the solution, yet by improving other areas such as the supply chain, even though it may be invisible to the consumers, the overall achievement in terms of sustainability will be much greater.