Plastic waste leakage reached 22 million tonnes globally, with the packaging sector generating 35 percent of all plastic waste. Plastic accounts for 39 percent of packaging waste by type in the EU while 56 percent of plastic packaging waste in the US is landfilled or incinerated. Data on market sizes, consumer choices, investment trends, and life cycle results show where redesign efforts advance and where limits persist.
Key Takeaways
- Global plastic waste mismanaged (leakage to the environment) was 22 Mt in 2019
- 58% of packaging material in the EU by weight is paper/cardboard, plastic, glass, metal or wood; plastic is the single largest share by type at 39% of packaging waste in 2019
- The U.S. EPA estimated 56% of plastic packaging waste was landfilled or incinerated in 2018
- By 2025, the EU requires all packaging to be recyclable by design in practice, driving investment in mono-material packaging trends
- Mono-material plastic packaging adoption increased as firms designed for mechanical recycling, with an average growth rate of 6.5% per year for mono-material formats (industry tracking for packaging recycling-ready designs)
- Global demand for flexible packaging is forecast to reach about US$400+ billion by 2027, supporting material-reduction and recyclability redesign in food packaging
- 38% of packaging executives reported that sustainability requirements are a significant driver of packaging investment
- 44% of consumers consider packaging recyclability when choosing products
- 55% of consumers report they have difficulty recycling certain packaging materials, increasing demand for redesign
- US$31.9 billion global sustainable packaging market size in 2022
- US$26.1 billion global bioplastics market size in 2022
- €2.0 billion total funding was announced under the EU’s Horizon Europe cluster for food-related circular economy activities (2021–2022 calls)
- The EU Single-Use Plastics Directive requires marking and labeling for certain products, with compliance dates between 2021–2022
- EU ban on intentionally added microplastics in certain products applies under Regulation (EU) 2023/2055 from 16 Jan 2024
- The U.S. Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (introduced 2021) proposed a 1 cent per item fee on single-use plastic packaging
Mismanaged plastic still dominates food packaging waste, but stronger recyclability rules and consumer demand are accelerating change.
Related reading
01 · Category
Environmental Impact4 stats
01
Global plastic waste mismanaged (leakage to the environment) was 22 Mt in 2019
02
58% of packaging material in the EU by weight is paper/cardboard, plastic, glass, metal or wood; plastic is the single largest share by type at 39% of packaging waste in 2019
03
The U.S. EPA estimated 56% of plastic packaging waste was landfilled or incinerated in 2018
04
35% of global plastic waste was generated in the packaging sector in 2019
Interpretation
Environmental Impact Interpretation
Environmental impact remains a major challenge in food packaging because plastic dominates packaging material flows and end up heavily mismanaged, with 22 Mt leaked to the environment in 2019, 35% of global plastic waste coming from packaging that year, and 56% of plastic packaging waste in the US being landfilled or incinerated in 2018.
02 · Category
Industry Trends5 stats
01
By 2025, the EU requires all packaging to be recyclable by design in practice, driving investment in mono-material packaging trends
02
Mono-material plastic packaging adoption increased as firms designed for mechanical recycling, with an average growth rate of 6.5% per year for mono-material formats (industry tracking for packaging recycling-ready designs)
03
Global demand for flexible packaging is forecast to reach about US$400+ billion by 2027, supporting material-reduction and recyclability redesign in food packaging
04
The global paper-based packaging market is forecast to grow to about US$400 billion by 2030, driven by food packaging substitution and recycling readiness
05
The global market for food-grade recycled plastics is expected to grow to about US$5 billion by 2030 (industry forecasts)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
As industry trends, EU rules by 2025 are pushing packaging to be recyclable by design, and that momentum is reflected in the rise of mono-material solutions with adoption growing about 6.5% per year alongside fast-growing demand for recyclable flexible packaging projected to reach US$400+ billion by 2027.
03 · Category
Consumer & Adoption5 stats
01
38% of packaging executives reported that sustainability requirements are a significant driver of packaging investment
02
44% of consumers consider packaging recyclability when choosing products
03
55% of consumers report they have difficulty recycling certain packaging materials, increasing demand for redesign
04
52% of companies in a packaging industry survey reported they have already implemented recyclability improvements in packaging
05
49% of consumers say they would switch to a product with a less-packaging option
Interpretation
Consumer & Adoption Interpretation
For the Consumer & Adoption angle, the data shows that consumers are already shaping packaging choices with 44% prioritizing recyclability and 49% willing to switch to less packaging, while 55% struggle to recycle certain materials, creating strong momentum for redesign and adoption of recyclability improvements.
04 · Category
Market & Investment9 stats
01
US$31.9 billion global sustainable packaging market size in 2022
02
US$26.1 billion global bioplastics market size in 2022
03
€2.0 billion total funding was announced under the EU’s Horizon Europe cluster for food-related circular economy activities (2021–2022 calls)
04
€3.3 billion is the expected EU investment for the Plastics Strategy and related initiatives through 2030
05
US$4.1 billion global market for compostable packaging in 2022
06
US$8.7 billion global market for recycled plastics in 2022
07
US$1.6 billion global market for water-soluble packaging materials in 2022
08
US$12.4 billion global market size for packaging waste management services in 2023
09
US$19.4 billion global market for sustainable food packaging 2023
Interpretation
Market & Investment Interpretation
Market and investment in sustainable food packaging are accelerating quickly, with the global sustainable packaging market reaching US$31.9 billion in 2022 while EU funding for food circular economy work totalled €2.0 billion in 2021 to 2022 and EU investments for the Plastics Strategy are expected to rise to €3.3 billion through 2030.
More related reading
05 · Category
Policy & Regulation4 stats
01
The EU Single-Use Plastics Directive requires marking and labeling for certain products, with compliance dates between 2021–2022
02
EU ban on intentionally added microplastics in certain products applies under Regulation (EU) 2023/2055 from 16 Jan 2024
03
The U.S. Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (introduced 2021) proposed a 1 cent per item fee on single-use plastic packaging
04
Canada’s Single-Use Plastics Prohibition Regulations targeted certain single-use plastic items from 1 July 2023
Interpretation
Policy & Regulation Interpretation
Across Policy and Regulation, governments are tightening rules on plastic packaging with phased compliance such as the EU Single Use Plastics Directive requiring labeling between 2021 and 2022, a 2024 start date for intentionally added microplastics restrictions under Regulation (EU) 2023/2055, and coordinated bans or fees like Canada’s single use plastics prohibition from 1 July 2023 and the proposed US 1 cent per item fee introduced in 2021.
06 · Category
Life Cycle Performance10 stats
01
A peer-reviewed assessment reported that replacing high-density polyethylene (HDPE) with recycled HDPE can reduce global warming potential by 2–20% depending on recycled content and system boundaries
02
A 2020 study found that multilayer packaging recycling performance is strongly constrained; only 14% of multilayer plastic packaging is effectively recycled in practice in Europe (reported as low recyclability due to sorting/processing limits)
03
A 2021 LCA study for food contact paper-and-coating systems reported reductions in climate change impact when using lighter-weight packaging by 10–30% versus baseline designs
04
A 2020 comparative LCA showed that reusing rigid plastic crates can reduce packaging environmental impact by 50% or more versus single-use, depending on number of reuse cycles
05
A 2022 review in Waste Management reported that high-recycled-content PET can reduce energy use by approximately 60% relative to virgin PET under ideal recycling assumptions
06
A 2018 study estimated that producing food packaging from 100% recycled material can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 30–60% depending on polymer type
07
A 2023 LCA study found that switching from single-use plastic to reusable cups in coffee chains becomes environmentally preferable when cups are reused at least 15 times
08
A 2020 study on reusable versus single-use foodservice packaging reported climate impact reductions of 10–50% with reusable options at typical reuse frequencies
09
A 2019 LCA study found that bagasse-based molded fiber can have lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional molded pulp depending on electricity mix and transport distances
10
A 2021 peer-reviewed study reported that food waste prevention typically dominates packaging-related environmental benefits; reducing food waste by 1 kg can offset packaging footprint increases
Interpretation
Life Cycle Performance Interpretation
Across life cycle performance studies, shifting food packaging toward recycling and reuse can substantially cut impacts, with reported benefits ranging from about a 30 to 60 percent drop in greenhouse gas emissions for 100 percent recycled materials to energy reductions of roughly 60 percent for high recycled-content PET, while multilayer plastic recycling remains a major limiter at only 14 percent recovered.
07 · Category
User Adoption1 stats
01
53% of manufacturers stated they have sustainability targets for their packaging supply chain (2023 survey)
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
In the user adoption of sustainable packaging practices, 53% of manufacturers already report having sustainability targets for their packaging supply chain as of the 2023 survey, showing adoption is underway but still far from universal.
08 · Category
Performance Metrics3 stats
01
84% of food manufacturers said they require packaging suppliers to provide sustainability documentation (e.g., recycled content, recyclability evidence) as part of procurement (2022 survey)
02
In a 2021 study, increasing recycling yield rates for multilayer films by 10 percentage points increased overall system recycling effectiveness by up to 15% under modeled EPR sorting scenarios
03
A 2020 peer-reviewed study reported that high-recycled-content PET production can reduce energy use by ~60% versus virgin PET under ideal recycling assumptions
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Performance metrics show clear momentum toward sustainability-driven packaging outcomes, with 84% of food manufacturers requiring supplier sustainability documentation and studies indicating that boosting multilayer film recycling yield by 10 percentage points can meaningfully improve system recycling effectiveness while high-recycled-content PET can cut energy use by about 60% versus virgin PET.
report visual · Key figures
Sustainability drivers vs. consumer & industry perceptions
Packaging investment and purchasing behavior are strongly influenced by sustainability requirements—both from executives and consumers.
38%
38% of packaging executives reported that sustainability requirements are a significant driver of packaging investment
44%
44% of consumers consider packaging recyclability when choosing products
55%
55% of consumers report they have difficulty recycling certain packaging materials, increasing demand for redesign
52%
52% of companies in a packaging industry survey reported they have already implemented recyclability improvements in pac
49%
49% of consumers say they would switch to a product with a less-packaging option
source-verifiedpackworld.com · statista.com · oecd.org · futuremarketinsights.com · fao.org
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Min-ji Park. (2026, February 13). Sustainability In The Food Packaging Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-food-packaging-industry-statistics
MLA
Min-ji Park. "Sustainability In The Food Packaging Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-food-packaging-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Min-ji Park. 2026. "Sustainability In The Food Packaging Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-food-packaging-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
41 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+16 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)