Food4Future | What's the future of plastic in the food industry?
During the last day of the 2025 Food4Future event held in Bilbao, Juliet Bray, Regional Programme Manager - Accelerator at EIT Food moderated a panel that focused on the use of plastic in the food industry and how the packaging sector is reshaping it's ways of working towards a more sustainable model.
The panel hosted experts from the Food and the packaging industry, with different perspectives that enriched the conversation:
- Françoise de Valera, from Pack2Earth.
- Pablo García, from Fibtray solutions.
- Pere Coll, from Enplater.
- Arantxa Goenaga, from Goenaga Yogures.
The discussion about plastics is a very controversial one that has different opinions and perspectives no doubt. In 2019 a total of 460 millions tones of plastic were produced. Only 9% of the of the plastic waste is recycled (30% in Europe), and some studies suggest that each of us consumes 5grams of plastics per week, although the impact that these have on our health is not 100% confirmed. What it's undeniable is that we as a society are very dependent on this material and that by 2040 we are expected to generate a total of 760 million of tones of plastic.
What the industry of packaging is already doing
Currently new regulations like the PPWR are promoting that by 2030 brands need to use packaging that is either reciclable, reusable or compostable. Brands like the Coca-Cola Company are already using 25% of recycled materials and their objective is to be able to grow up to a 100%. In this context, Pere Coll, from Enplater, a company that produces packaging for the food industry points out that they work on three premises: protection of the food, functionality and image of the packaging.
"We are focusing on facilitating materials that are easier to recycle through their weight and the uso of monomaterials. However, we need to be careful and not demonise such a versatile and useful material like the plastic, as it helps us protect the food we produce, sell and consume", pointed out Coll.
Alternatives that could co-exist with the plastic
Pack2Earth and Fibtray are two of the startups that have been supported by EIT Food's Food Accelerator Network. The first one uses compostable materiales that don't need high temperatures to compost, so no residues are generated. It is a material that produces very low CO2; they've secured a seed round of €2M € and have commercial agreements valued at €400K.
Fibtray, on their side, are helping big retailers use alternatives to plastic but based on the same properties this material offers. They use 100% natural fibres that are compatible with existing packaging systems and they're patenting their technology for manufacturers. "We are in the obligation of working to find solutions for clients that are looking for alternatives to plastic", commented Pablo García.
Recycing Vs new materials
The current packaging industry is very focused on recyclability, but the use on new materials that can lower the rates of the impact on the earth seems the way to go on the longer run. "We need to use what's already existing in the market to be able to offer a service for the industry leaders and the market needs. This means using alternative materials that offers the same properties as plastic and that complements this material so that we can continue to guarantee the quality of the packaging and the quality of the food on the market" concluded Coll.
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