Sustainable packaging swap: What to know before you switch

Why your sustainable packaging swap needs a strategy

Switching materials without understanding the full picture can lead to unintended consequences. A “greener” material might look good on paper but could raise your carbon footprint or compliance fees.

According to WRAP, packaging accounts for around 40% of plastic demand in the UK, and changes made without lifecycle consideration often fail to deliver the expected benefits.

That’s why a data-driven approach is essential.

Questions to consider before you swap

Before deciding, it’s worth pausing to ask:

• What problem are you trying to solve — reducing plastic, improving recyclability, cutting carbon, or minimising compliance fees?
• Do your choices align with current and future regulations?

Clarifying your main goal early helps ensure your swap truly supports sustainability and compliance.

Key regulatory drivers to factor in

Your sustainable packaging swap must align with upcoming UK and EU regulations, including:

• Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR): Introduces base and modulated fees to reward recyclability and penalise hard-to-recycle materials
• Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM): Defines recyclability standards that influence pEPR costs
• Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT): Applies to packaging with less than 30% recycled content
• Upcoming reforms: Consistent collections and mandatory reporting

These create strong financial and operational incentives to design smarter, compliant packaging from the start. For an overview of Valpak’s compliance support, see our Sustainability Consultancy page.

Sustainable packaging swap checklist

1. Have you checked recyclability in the real world?
   A material may be technically recyclable, but that doesn’t guarantee it’s collected and processed by UK recycling infrastructure. Consider kerbside availability, consumer behaviour, and how the packaging performs under the RAM.
2. What’s the full environmental impact (including carbon footprint)?
   Some alternatives (like glass or bioplastics) may reduce plastic use but come with higher carbon emissions during production or transport, or contain undesirable chemicals such as PFAS. A full life cycle assessment can reveal these trade-offs.
3. Will your new packaging impact shelf life or product protection?
   If a swap increases spoilage or breakage, any sustainability gain could be negated by higher product waste.
4. Are materials responsibly sourced?
   When considering paper or bio-based alternatives, producers should understand the full material composition and verify certifications to ensure inputs are responsibly sourced, free from harmful additives, and not linked to deforestation or other ecological harm.
5. Can your current supply chain handle the new material?
   Changing formats can disrupt production lines, increase costs, or require new logistics, and some recyclers may not accept the new materials.
6. What are the disposal instructions for consumers?
   With OPRL set as the industry standard for consistent on-pack messaging by 2027, producers must ensure clear, accurate labeling to avoid contamination even when packaging is technically recyclable.
7. Are you future-proofing against regulation?
   Upcoming legislation like consistent collections, plastic taxes, and modulated pEPR fees means the materials you choose today need to stand the test of time. Avoid reactive changes by future-proofing your designs.

Don’t fall for the green gloss

Not everything that sounds sustainable truly is. Materials like bamboo, compostables, or “biodegradable” plastics can be problematic without proper end-of-life management. Sustainability isn’t just about appearance; it’s about systems.

For example, compostable packaging often ends up in landfill due to a lack of appropriate collection infrastructure.

A smarter way to approach sustainable packaging

That’s why Valpak and ThePackHub are working together, combining legal and data-led insights  with creative packaging innovation, to help brands make informed, practical, and future-ready packaging choices.

We support businesses by:

• Identifying viable, compliant materials
• Avoiding greenwashing pitfalls
• Exploring creative innovation opportunities
• Navigating emerging packaging legislation
• Measuring environmental impact through carbon footprinting and Life Cycle Assessments
• Benchmarking performance against best-in-class packaging

Through ThePackHub’s Innovation Zone, we can tap into thousands of real-world packaging formats, from refillables to lightweight designs, to extract trends and uncover proven ideas, best practice examples, and case studies that align with sustainability goals and regulatory demands. Meanwhile, the Patent Zone helps us track emerging technologies and materials, giving early insight into innovations and emerging patterns that can future-proof your packaging strategy.

To explore sustainable packaging with expert support, call 03450 682 572 or complete our online enquiry form.