5 food and beverage companies making sustainable packaging changes

Food and beverage manufacturers are facing mounting pressure from new extended producer responsibility laws and shifting consumer preferences, leading to practical updates in product packaging.

Several major brands have recently implemented specific material swaps. Campbell's replaced plastic dog bone packaging with a recyclable paper clip for Rao's sauce jars, removed mixed-material layers in its plastic bottles, and added recycled content to its pretzel canisters. PepsiCo reduced its overall plastic use by over 7 million pounds by lightweighting Gatorade and Lipton bottles. Target eliminated carbon-black colorant from its bakery and deli trays to make them more compatible with existing recycling systems. Bel Group swapped the outer cellophane wrap of Babybel cheese for paper to save an estimated 850 metric tons of packaging material annually globally. Meanwhile, Mars partnered with Berry Global to transition large M&M's, Skittles, and Starburst pantry jars to 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic, aiming to eliminate over 1,300 metric tons of virgin plastic each year.