What Millennials think, say and do will dominate all aspects of businesses for many years to come. The reason? Millennials are putting a significantly higher priority on sustainability than have the generations before them. That is the finding of EcoFocus Worldwide's 2019 U.S. Trends Survey.

The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) illustrates why brand owners need to more effectively communicate the environmental benefits of flexible packaging to consumers.

Eco-friendly packaging, as well as sustainable materials, products and practices, are still top of mind for consumers as they strive to do what’s best for themselves, and the environment.

Most companies tend to focus on their products and product designs to reduce their costs and completely overlook their packaging cost.

Without a doubt, plastics bring many benefits, and society as we know it would not be able to work without them. But it is becoming increasingly evident that the current, linear plastics system is broken.

In the food and beverage market, interesting packaging designs, shapes and materials may catch the eye of shoppers perusing the shelves, but it’s not the sole element driving purchasing decisions.

In the packaging business, the subject of environmental impact has been front and center for decades, primarily in terms of products' end-of-life. Packaging that goes to the landfill is targeted for replacement by recyclable, reusable and renewable materials. The goal is to reduce waste.

Walmart first introduced its sustainability initiative to vendors in 2006 with its Packaging Scorecard. Over the last ten years, this initiative changed how companies packaged their products. 

As sustainability issues move to the forefront of the national conversation, we reached out to Tom Egan, vice president, Industry Services, PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, to find out what the future might hold for sustainability initiatives in the consumer packaged goods industry, what considerations brands must heed and what resources are available to brands looking to make a difference.

You can find the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) label on hundreds of everyday products, from milk and paper cups and plates to cosmetics and school and building supplies.