What materials are used in eco-friendly food packaging?

Fiber-based food packaging — made from cardboard and paperboard — is among the most widely used formats in sustainable food packaging today, alongside bioplastics, compostable films, and recycled-content plastics. The most suitable choice depends on the product’s requirements, particularly whether a gas-tight barrier is needed for fresh food preservation. Below, we address the most important questions food producers and packaging buyers are currently working through.

Which materials are most commonly found in sustainable food packaging?

The most widely used sustainable food packaging materials are fiber-based paperboard and cardboard, recycled plastics, plant-derived bioplastics, and compostable films made from materials such as starch or cellulose. Among these, fiber-based formats have gained the most traction in fresh food and retail, driven by consumer preference and tightening EU regulation.

Each material category serves a different purpose. Paperboard and cardboard are strong, printable, and widely recyclable across most European countries. Recycled plastics reduce reliance on virgin fossil-based material but still carry the end-of-life challenges associated with plastic. Bioplastics and compostable films offer an alternative to conventional plastic but come with important considerations around how and where they can actually be processed — composting is only effective under the right industrial conditions.

In the fresh food sector specifically, the challenge is that many products require a barrier against oxygen and moisture to stay safe and fresh. This has historically meant plastic. The shift toward fiber-based hybrid formats — trays made primarily from cardboard with a thin functional inner film — is one of the most significant developments in sustainable packaging materials today.

How does cardboard packaging reduce environmental impact compared to plastic?

Cardboard food packaging reduces environmental impact primarily because it is made from renewable wood fiber, generates significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions during production, and is recyclable in existing paper and cardboard streams in most countries. Compared to a same-sized tray made fully from hard plastic, a fiber-based cardboard tray can generate roughly three times fewer CO₂ emissions.

The raw material difference matters. Cardboard is derived from wood fiber sourced from managed forests — a renewable resource that can be certified under schemes such as FSC to verify responsible sourcing. Conventional plastic trays are made from fossil-based materials, meaning their carbon footprint begins at extraction and does not improve meaningfully at end of life.

Recyclability is another key factor. Over 85% of fiber packaging waste is already recycled across Europe, compared to roughly 40% for plastic packaging. Cardboard fits into established collection and sorting infrastructure, which means it is more likely to actually be recycled rather than ending up in landfill or incineration. For food producers assessing their packaging footprint, this distinction between theoretical recyclability and real-world recycling rates is important.

What makes food packaging truly recyclable?

Truly recyclable food packaging must be accepted by existing collection infrastructure, sortable in standard waste streams, and processable at recycling facilities without requiring special handling. Recyclability is not just about material composition — it depends on whether real recycling systems in the target market can actually handle the format.

Several factors determine whether packaging meets this standard in practice:

• Material compatibility: Mono-material or clearly separable formats are easier to recycle than complex multi-layer laminates where different materials are permanently bonded.
• Collection infrastructure: A material may be technically recyclable but unavailable for collection in certain regions.
• Contamination: Food residue can compromise recyclability, which is why rinsing or easy-peel liner designs matter.
• Labeling and consumer guidance: Clear on-pack instructions improve sorting rates significantly.

For fiber-based trays with a thin inner plastic film, recyclability depends on whether the cardboard and film can be separated or whether the format is accepted as-is. In countries such as Finland, Sweden, Germany, and Norway, cardboard trays with a thin barrier film can be recycled directly in cardboard streams. Where separation is preferred, designs that allow the film to be peeled away cleanly make the process straightforward for the end consumer. Fiber-based food trays are recycled as cardboard — they do not belong in biowaste.

Are bioplastics and compostable materials a good alternative?

Bioplastics and compostable materials can be a useful part of the sustainable packaging mix, but they are not a straightforward replacement for conventional plastic in most food packaging applications. Their benefit depends heavily on the availability of appropriate industrial composting facilities or separate collection infrastructure — which remains limited in many markets. Compostability is only realised under the right industrial conditions; these materials do not break down effectively in home composting or general waste.

Compostable packaging is only beneficial if it actually reaches industrial composting facilities. In practice, most consumers cannot easily distinguish compostable from conventional plastic, and compostable packaging that enters general plastic recycling streams can contaminate the recycling batch. Home-compostable formats exist but typically offer weaker barrier properties, limiting their use for fresh food that requires moisture or oxygen protection.

Bioplastics derived from plant sources do reduce reliance on fossil raw materials, which is a genuine benefit. However, they do not automatically biodegrade in natural environments, and their recyclability in standard plastic streams varies by formulation. For food producers focused on measurable plastic reduction and compatibility with existing recycling infrastructure, fiber-based formats currently offer a more predictable end-of-life outcome than most bioplastic alternatives.

What packaging materials work for modified atmosphere (MAP) fresh food products?

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) for fresh food products such as meat, fish, poultry, and ready meals requires materials that provide a hermetic, gas-tight seal to maintain the protective gas mixture inside the pack. Traditionally this has meant rigid hard plastic trays sealed with a lidding film, but fiber-based hybrid trays have emerged as a technically viable alternative.

The critical requirement for MAP is barrier functionality — the tray and lid together must prevent oxygen ingress and gas escape throughout the product’s shelf life. Hard plastic trays have dominated this segment because plastic naturally provides these barrier properties. The challenge for sustainable packaging is replicating that functionality with a lower-plastic format.

Fiber-based MAP trays achieve this by combining a structural cardboard body with a thin multi-layer barrier film on the inner surface, sealed with a lidding film. This construction maintains the gas-tight integrity needed for fresh food preservation while reducing plastic content significantly compared to a full plastic tray. These formats are also designed to be compatible with the automatic packaging lines food manufacturers already operate, removing a significant barrier to adoption.

We developed the Jospak® tray specifically for this application — a fiber-based solution suitable for meat, poultry, fish, plant-based proteins, and ready meals that works on existing MAP production lines without requiring new equipment investment.

How are packaging regulations pushing food producers toward sustainable materials?

EU packaging regulations are creating direct, binding pressure on food producers to shift toward recyclable, low-plastic, and lower-impact packaging materials. The most significant change is the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) — an EU-level packaging regulation that applies as a regulation, not a directive, meaning it takes effect directly and uniformly across all 27 member states without requiring national legislative changes. Its requirements become binding on companies from 12 August 2026.

The PPWR replaces the previous packaging directive with a single set of rules applicable in every EU country. Key obligations include requirements to minimise packaging weight and volume, design for recyclability, and meet Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements, where producers bear financial responsibility for packaging across its full life cycle. EPR fees are structured to reward recyclable, low-plastic formats and penalise those that perform poorly. The regulation also sets a binding recycling target of 75% for paper and cardboard packaging by 2030, alongside mandatory reuse and minimisation targets for certain packaging categories.

One of the most immediately relevant provisions for food packaging is a strict limit on intentionally added PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — in food-contact packaging, also effective from 12 August 2026. PFAS have been widely used in grease-resistant coatings for paper and board food packaging, meaning many existing fiber-based formats need to be reformulated. The fiber materials and processes used by Jospak already meet these strict purity requirements, and the risk from non-intentionally added PFAS residues in recycled fiber is actively managed. Packaging that uses renewable fiber with a separately applied barrier film rather than a PFAS-based coating avoids this compliance issue entirely.

Looking further ahead, the PPWR requires all packaging placed on the EU market to be recyclable at scale by 2030, with digital identifiers linking to material and recyclability information required from 2027. This directly supports Jospak’s design strategy: the Jospak-lined cardboard tray is built for the circular economy, where the cardboard and film are separated so that valuable fiber can be returned to existing collection systems. For food producers, this creates a clear trajectory: formats that are not designed for recyclability today will face increasing cost and compliance pressure over the next several years. Transitioning to fiber-based, recyclable food packaging is both a practical packaging decision and a regulatory risk management consideration. If your business needs support navigating these requirements, our sustainability consulting service helps food and packaging companies map their current packaging footprint and identify practical routes to compliance.