(Brussels, 10 October 2018)  In view of today’s vote in the European Parliament on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, Europe’s food and drink manufacturers reaffirm their commitment to continue improving the circularity of packaging for food and drink products to drive future innovation.

In the context of the Circular Economy Action Plan, FoodDrinkEurope has been an active contributor to the discussions for an ambitious implementation of the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy. FoodDrinkEurope also acknowledged earlier this year the adoption of the European Commission’s proposal for a Directive by the European Parliament and the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment.

Building on our continued efforts to support a circular economy for packaging, FoodDrinkEurope has developed its Roadmap on Sustainable Packaging, presenting – in a visually engaging way – the progress that has been achieved so far but, more importantly, what needs to be done moving forward. The Roadmap will be launched today at a high-level event on the implementation of the Plastics Strategy at the European Parliament, in the presence of key Members of the European Parliament, policy makers and industry representatives.

Food and drink packaging plays a vital role in protecting and preserving products for consumers. However, some packaging, particularly plastics, ends up in nature and contributes to the growing problem of litter. The Industry is therefore setting itself a roadmap of actions to support the societal transition towards a circular economy; these actions include improving packaging design, actively supporting collection, sorting and recycling, and raising awareness. In addition, the Roadmap features recommendations to policy makers with the objective to work together towards making food and drink packaging more circular and sustainable.

Mella Frewen, FoodDrinkEurope’s Director General said: “As a major user of packaging, the food and drink industry fully acknowledges that it has a share of the responsibility with regards to the impact of the packaging that it puts on the EU market. Europe’s food and drink manufacturers are fully invested in developing solutions to this challenge, which is reflected in our Roadmap.”

Visit the dedicated website and explore the Roadmap in detail on: https://circulareconomy.fooddrinkeurope.eu/sustainable-packaging/

Background

Europe’s food and drink industry is committed to continue supporting the European Commission towards a circular economy model, stepping up efforts to improve plastics use, reuse and recycling as well as maximising the use of available resources. FoodDrinkEurope’s members are striving to improve waste management practices at every stage along the food supply chain, always prioritising and ensuring food safety.  

Find out more about FoodDrinkEurope’s work on Circular Economy here.

FoodDrinkEurope is the organisation of Europe’s food and drink industry, the largest manufacturing sector and leading employer in the EU and a key contributor to its economy (294,000 companies, 99% SMEs, 4.6 million employees).