Market researchers at Mintel detailed two trends impacting the global packaging industry in 2020, namely being “ahead of the recycling curve,” and providing in-store refills.

Mintel reported that in order to remain a cut above the competition, packaging manufacturers and brands must continue to develop and commercialize recyclable package innovations, “even if the capabilities to recycle them do not yet exist.”
 
“Despite the world’s wishes, single-use plastic will exist for decades to come,” David Luttenberger, Mintel’s global packaging director, said. “With a fraction of the world’s plastic waste actually being recycled, there is a dire need to explore technologies that are ‘technically’ recyclable now, and for the development of plastic alternatives – not just single-use plastics, but for all types of plastics and packaging.”
 
“Time is of the essence; these technologies must be developed today, ahead of their ability to be recycled, rather than the other way around,” Luttenberger continued. “But next-generation technologies are only small pieces of the greater equation that will address and solve the waste and recycling crisis. With all the will in the world, ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ is not universal; it’s hard to recycle if consumers aren’t first reminded to ‘return’ packaging to the proper recycling bin or store take-back system. The ultimate solution is brands, manufacturers, packaging industry bodies, governments, and environmental non-profits working in harmony to better inform consumers, develop more easily recyclable packaging, and establish better collection systems and recycling processes.”
 
Part of the problem, as Luttenberger highlighted, is the fact that today’s sustainable packaging consists of biodegradable plastics, which are not quite the silver bullet to a plastic problem as some make them out to be.
 
While bioplastic leaves a smaller carbon footprint in its production, and its materials do eventually return to nature as water, carbon dioxide, and compost, this decomposition only occurs under the right conditions. Some bioplastics are made from biomass that cannot be broken down for centuries when disposed of in landfills with no sunlight contact.
 
On the other side of the coin, other compostable plastics such as polyactic acid are much more easily degradable, but pose durability issues due to the fact that they only last as long as other organic materials.
 
The gravity of the fact that humans may have produced more than 8 billion tons of plastic since the 1950s, and that the overwhelming bulk of plastic is not recycled, does not escape the nutraceutical industry, or its consumers.
 
Anecdotally, it’s clear that nutraceutical brands across the board are responding to and capitalizing on a rising tide of consumers making conscious decisions to choose products contained in packaging that uses a minimal amount of plastics, or products contained in packaging that can be recycled with the greatest level of ease.
 
Additionally, many companies are outspoken about pledges to offset their own production of plastic by donating to non-profits founded either to collect plastics from the world’s waterways, or mitigate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions by planting trees.
 
Alongside recyclability, reusability ties as 2020’s hottest trend in global packaging, Mintel reported. While reusable packages tend to trend more toward the retail side of any industry, Luttenberger said that brands can integrate reusables into their marketing identities with the right savvy.
 
“Regardless of the material used, the next iteration of the circular economy is clearly focused on reusability, alongside recyclability,” Luttenberger said. “With single-use now a toxic phrase for many consumers, refillable packaging is becoming more and more commonly known and used. While consumers want packaging reduction that comes from reuse, they expect this to be a simple and mess-free transaction. But without packaging to serve as one of the main communication channels from brands to consumers, branding can become challenging.”
 
“Brands should look to offer memorable experiences through refill in order to create brand engagement, with those bringing some theatre to the refill moment most likely to succeed,” Luttenberger continued. “And whilst many smaller refill stores use Instagram-able containers (such as attractive heritage glass jars), if refill is to become mainstream, consumers will expect refillable options that are easy to use from start to finish. By meeting this need, brands have an opportunity to ensure that their message is maintained.”