IGD has convened a wide range of stakeholders to create a new shared ambition for the industry, to halve the environmental impacts of all packaging systems by 2030.

Over the last year, IGD has brought together stakeholders from across the food and consumer goods industry, packaging manufacturers, waste industry and industry associations to form a sustainable packaging systems working group to create this new shared ambition for the industry. This ambition maintains momentum beyond the forthcoming legislation and is a stepping-stone to collective action and change.

With its unique ability to convene stakeholders, Social Impact from IGD addresses some of the key challenges facing society, from climate change, food waste and food surplus redistribution, to accelerating industry’s progress towards Net Zero. This latest ambition is being undertaken to tackle the critical industry-issue of sustainable packaging systems.

The next phase of this work will see the creation of a roadmap to establish a baseline, set targets and track progress towards delivering the ambition. To help accelerate progress, the working group will develop a new set of principles for the industry to help businesses make consistent decisions on packaging systems and materials. IGD will also commission new consumer research to gain behavioural insights and better understand the barriers to the mainstream adoption of reuse and refill packaging solutions. These insights will create the opportunities to influence longer term behaviour change.

Mark Little, Director of Health and Sustainability Programmes, said: “The shared ambition is to create a common direction of travel over the next decade. It’s fantastic that so many organisations across the packaging, food and consumer goods industry value chain have worked with IGD to create this new ambition and we are calling on more businesses from across the industry to help shape and deliver the next phase of work.”

We want more businesses to join the working group to drive progress and accelerate towards the ambition to shape this programme of work, to halve the environmental impacts of all packaging systems by 2030 whilst still enhancing the benefits and quality enjoyed of products and their packaging today. Get in touch at [email protected] so we can continue to progress this critical issue and make sustainable packaging a reality.

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For media enquiries and interview opportunities please contact Sarah Burns on [email protected] or 07483 094027.

Notes to editors:

1. Working Group members: ALDI; Amazon; ASDA; British Plastics Federation; CHEP; CIWM; Coca Cola Enterprise Partnerships; Colpac; Coop; Greencore; Heineken; Hotel Chocolat; Iceland; INCPEN; Innovate UK; LARAC; M&S; Morrisons; Musgrave; Ocado Retail; OPRL; RAP; RECOUP; Sainsburys; Samworths; Suez; Tesco; WRAP; WWF.
2. IGD is an organisation of two interconnected communities. The profits from Commercial Insight are reinvested into Social Impact, which together work to drive change that makes a tangible difference for society, business and the individual.
3. Social Impact from IGD is delivered in four key areas:
   1. People – focussed on giving young people opportunities to develop their employability and life skills, and on building the knowledge and capability of food and consumer goods industry colleagues, to foster an inclusive and productive workforce;
   2. Health – nutrition experts use the latest research and behavioural science to develop practical tools that help the whole industry. IGD is collaborating with and inspiring companies to adopt best practice and implement change;
   3. Sustainability – focused on mobilising the industry to tackle climate change, reduce food waste, increase food surplus redistribution, develop sustainable packaging systems and accelerate the industry’s progress towards Net Zero;
   4. Economics – supporting better strategic planning and decision making, for the benefit of consumers, through economic analysis and engagement with policy makers.
4. Commercial Insight is delivered through six core areas:
   1. Retail Analysis – providing trusted data and insight, straight from the heart of retail;
   2. ShopperVista – providing insight that creates the foundation for progressive shopper and category thinking;
   3. Events – providing compelling experiences that connect people and ideas together;
   4. MarketTrack – the most trusted, rigorous market read in the retail sector;
   5. Supply Chain Analysis – providing answers and unlocking potential;
   6. Solutions – personalised solutions that address the critical customer and commercial challenges.
5. All content is owned by IGD. If you use or refer to any content in this press release, please credit IGD
6. Follow us on Twitter: @fromIGD