Packaging as a Food Saver: Rethinking Sustainability Beyond Materials

In our previous post, we discussed how carbon footprint alone is no longer enough to assess the sustainability of packaging.

Now let’s go one step further:
We often judge packaging by how recyclable or compostable it is. But what if its greatest sustainability impact lies elsewhere?

One-third of all food produced is lost or wasted globally: nearly 1.3 billion tons per year, according to the FAO. That waste accounts for 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Source: FAO – Food Loss and Waste

In dairy and cold cuts, food waste often occurs after purchase, especially in households.
Why? Because packaging lacks functionality to preserve freshness after opening.

Rethinking the packaging role
This is where reclosable or portioned packaging comes in—not just as convenience, but as sustainability enablers:

• A resealable pack can extend shelf life after opening several days.
• Portion-controlled formats help avoid over-serving and spoilage.
• Packaging with barriers against oxygen or moisture or MAP prevents premature spoilage.

More sustainable doesn’t always mean “less packaging”
In some cases, using a bit more material to enable functionality can save significantly more emissions by reducing food waste.
A cheese that spoils is far more damaging than its wrapper.

Strategic implications
At Mitsui, we believe sustainability should be tackled holistically:

• Material impact matters—but so does what the packaging protects.
• We must move from “less packaging” to “smarter packaging”.
• And from recyclability alone to functional design that prevents waste.

What if the most sustainable pack isn’t the lightest, but the one that keeps food from being thrown away?

Let’s challenge the assumptions. Let’s innovate toward true impact.