Packaging innovation, shelf-life extension and sustainable packaging are becoming more closely linked across the Benelux food and drink sector, as companies respond to pressure to reduce food waste and meet EU recyclability targets.
Under the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, all packaging will need to be recyclable by 2030. That requirement is pushing manufacturers to rethink materials, while maintaining product protection and safety.
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In an interview with Packaging Gateway, Ashkan Danaei, sales director at Tetra Pak Benelux, said extending shelf life is central to this shift.
Shelf life and food waste
For producers, longer shelf life is increasingly tied to food waste reduction and supply chain resilience.
Danaei pointed to aseptic technology as a key enabler. He said it “keeps products safe for 6–12 months without refrigeration”, reducing the risk of spoilage before consumption.
This is particularly relevant when supply chains are under pressure. Aseptic cartons help maintain product quality by protecting against “oxygen, light, and microorganisms”, while also limiting the impact of “temperature breaks, transport delays, or inadequate storage”.
He also argued that packaging’s climate role is often misunderstood.
“The discussion frequently focuses on the footprint of the package itself,” he said, “rather than the much larger impact it has in preventing food waste.”
That broader view is shaping how companies assess packaging performance, especially as wasted food carries a higher carbon footprint than the packaging used to protect it.
Aseptic formats also support ambient distribution, removing the need for refrigeration across transport, retail and storage. Danaei described this as “a highly effective way to decarbonise food distribution”, while improving supply chain resilience.
Paper barriers and material shift
At the same time, paper-based packaging and renewable materials are moving into focus as part of wider sustainable packaging strategies.
Danaei highlighted a recent development aimed at replacing aluminium layers in cartons with fibre-based alternatives. The material still protects against “light, oxygen and microorganisms”, while increasing renewable content.
He described the result as “the same functional performance as traditional structures, but with a step change reduction in climate impact”.
This reflects a wider shift in material science across the packaging industry. Tetra Pak reports that in 2024 it delivered 12.3 billion plant-based caps and more than 11 billion plant-based packages globally, avoiding around 47 kilotonnes of CO₂ compared with fossil-based polymers.
Danaei said adoption is already visible in the Netherlands, where “two thirds of the packages supplied… contained segregated plant-based materials in the package structure, the caps, or—most often—in both”.
The focus, he added, is on reducing environmental impact without affecting performance. “We have been collaborating across the value chain to advance solutions that reduce environmental impact without compromising performance.”
Regulation and market pressure
Customer demand in the Benelux region is not centred on a single priority. According to Danaei, companies are balancing shelf life, recyclability, emissions and cost at the same time.
“A simple answer: all of the above,” he said.
He noted that recyclable packaging and greenhouse gas reduction are becoming stronger drivers, as regulation tightens and expectations evolve. At the same time, cost efficiency remains critical, requiring solutions that are both environmentally and economically viable.
This is increasing the importance of collaboration across the value chain, particularly in areas such as recycling infrastructure and material development.
Danaei said the direction is clear. “All packaging must be recyclable by 2030 to stay on the market,” he noted, referring to EU regulation, while adding that consumers “consistently rank recyclability as the most important sustainability feature”.
Looking ahead, he expects further advances in packaging innovation to come from material science, especially in next-generation paper-based barriers that maintain aseptic performance while reducing climate impact.
More broadly, he returned to the role of packaging in the food system.
“When packaging reduces spoilage, protects nutrients and enables ambient distribution,” he said, “it helps avoid the significantly higher emissions associated with producing and discarding wasted food.”
Across the Benelux market, the link between shelf-life extension, food waste reduction and sustainable packaging is becoming more defined.
As regulation tightens and supply chains remain under pressure, packaging is being evaluated not only for what it is made of, but for what it prevents.
