Balancing convenience and sustainability in foodservice packaging

The packaging needed to serve and transport food is changing. Industry experts are identifying a growing tension between the need for convenient, disposable foodservice packaging and concerns about their environmental effects. We discuss these innovation challenges with industry experts and researchers who spotlight some of the emerging solutions in this space.

The spokespersons at the Food and Beverage Carton Alliance (FBCA), the Foodservice Packaging Association, and the HeTa Food Research Centre for Excellence at the University of Birmingham, UK, emphasize carton as an increasingly relevant foodservice packaging material, trends related to takeaway meal packaging and new R&D efforts to create materials that show promise in enhancing sustainability.

“The pandemic showed us just how critical food system resilience is to Europeans. Issues such as health and safety, access to and the transport of food led to packaging being recognized as essential,” Annick Carpentier, executive director global advocacy at the FBCA, tells Packaging Insights.

Martin Kersh, executive director of the UK-based Foodservice Packaging Association, tells us: “The demand for reuse foodservice packaging will grow, but only to the extent that has to be done without ultimately losing convenience. Aspects like hygiene and safety are incredibly important as well.”

We also speak to Dr. Helen Onyeaka and Dr. Taghi Miri, researchers at the HeTa Food Research Centre for Excellence at the University of Birmingham, UK, about foodservice packaging R&D.

Carton for foodservice

Discussing the current trends in the foodservice packaging industry, FBCA’s Carpentier says that preventing food waste is a key issue.

FBCA identifies food safety preservation as a key issue for the carton foodservice packaging industry.“This is a value chain issue so we all need to work together to solve it. F&B carton packaging has the purpose to provide functionalities that protect sensitive F&B. That’s certainly the case for FBCA because we back mainly companies that produce juice, milk, cream, and other dairy products which are very sensitive,” she says.

Carpentier explains that such companies need specific packaging to ensure product protection and good quality when reaching consumers. 

“Expanding their shelf life contributes to preventing food waste. There is a systemic approach that you need to consider and everything has to be meaningful and to meet societal needs and that’s what we try to do while reducing the environmental impact as much as possible.”

“The fact that our raw material is renewable means that we have a low carbon footprint. It’s a material that can be renewed since it comes from the forest.”

FBCA aims to reduce the aluminium barriers used to protect sensitive products from the oxygen in the air. “This will be reduced with time so as to continue our journey toward more sustainability and circularity.” 

Takeaway meal packaging 

Foodservice Packaging Association’s Kersh talks about the latest trends in packaging for takeaway food packaging, including single-use cutlery and other disposable items, the adoption of reusables.

“There are various moves toward more paper and cardboard used for cutlery that does not contain any plastic. There is quite a lot of opportunity in that area. Currently, not everybody is a fan of wooden cutlery, especially parents who do not want their kids chewing on wooden spoons,” he says. 

Kersh argues against governments introducing broad-reaching bans on plastic-wrapped single-use items.Kersh argues against governments introducing broad-reaching bans on plastic-wrapped single-use items. 

He notes that fast food chains in the UK and the EU are decreasing consumers’ ability to pack as many single-use foodservice disposables, such as condiments and cutlery, as they like when purchasing takeaways. 

Kersh says that when it comes to small, food takeaway businesses, it is not reasonable to expect the adoption of reusable packaging any time soon. 

“One big area is the security of the food. It is important to make sure that it can’t be tampered with. We possibly hear more about tampering with food from the US, where delivery personnel may even help themself to a serving. This is a definite growing area of concern.”

New cuisines and branding

He highlights the growing popularity of cuisines that are new to the UK as a source of potential inspiration for the development of new types of foodservice packaging. “In London, we are seeing new food items on offer, such as meals from Nigeria and Mexico, but sometimes you come across meals which require a different functioning packaging.” 

“New packaging that came along with new types of food is something that we have already seen happen, for example, when sushi and bagels were first gaining popularity. The foodservice packaging industry had to adapt to these food items.”

“To touch upon packaging design,” he continues, “this is an area that looks very different now than it did 20 years ago. Better printing and shorter printing time run because of improvements in technology. This is especially important for start-ups and new businesses looking for brand recognition.”

HeTa-Coat

Onyeaka and Miri of the HeTa Food Research Centre for Excellence at the University of Birmingham, UK, discuss their newly developed HeTa-Coat packaging material and its foodservice applications. 

Scientists used brewers’ yeast slurry to create the HeTa-Coat film. “We thought, why not turn something seen as waste into something valuable? By incorporating Nisin, a natural antimicrobial compound, we gave these films an added benefit of helping to keep food fresher for longer.”

“We believe HeTa-Coat could help shift the industry toward more eco-friendly practices. By showing that you can create functional packaging from waste, it encourages others to think outside the box and push for more sustainable options,” Onyeaka and Miri add.

“The antimicrobial properties of the films could also help reduce food waste—a huge issue in foodservice. By extending shelf life, HeTa-Coat makes it easier to keep food fresher for longer, which benefits both businesses and consumers.”

Onyeaka and Miri outline some of the ways in which the HeTa-Coat solution responds to the trends brought up by Kersh: sustainability, upcycling, active packaging and regulatory changes.

“It’s no secret that the industry is moving away from single-use plastics, and people are looking for greener alternatives. HeTa-Coat fits that bill. The focus on repurposing waste — like brewers’ yeast slurry — is gaining momentum. It’s all about finding value in what we’d otherwise throw away.”