2Sustain

Recent examples from Coca-Cola, Frito-Lay, and others help make one thing clear: green packaging is quickly becoming a critical component of the global packaging industry. In fact, a new study from Pike Research predicts that sustainable packaging will comprise 32% of the total packaging market by 2014 –that’s up from 21% in 2009.

The study, titled “Sustainable Packaging,”evaluates the current market conditions for packaging and identifies future opportunities specifically for green packaging processes. For example, Pike Research forecasts that

• By 2014, the worldwide market for packaging –currently valued at $429 billion –will surpass $500 billion in sales. 
• Plastic-based packaging, which represents 35% of all materials used, will be the fastest-growing sector of the sustainable packaging market over the next five years.
• Metal-based packaging, one of the easiest to recycle, will continue to be the sector with the highest percentage of sustainability.
• More than 63% of metal-based packaging will be environmentally friendly by 2014.

As the world economy –and the number of modern consumers –continues to grow, it is becoming increasingly important for businesses to turn a critical eye toward their packaging processes. Sustainable packaging isn’t simply a “feel good” item to include in your annual report. It’s now a fundamental necessity for every smart business plan. Green packaging is good for the environment, beneficial to the consumer (who is left with less to reduce, reuse, recycle) and an overall winning strategy for your organization (cost savings for manufacture and transport, improved efficiencies, etc.).

A download of the executive summary of Pike Research’s study is available at www.pikeresearch.com/research/sustainable-packaging (registration required).