Legislative Pressures Multiply

Consumers are increasingly avoidant of packaging deemed environmentally harmful (see Key Stats), while retailers are requiring brands to do better (for instance, Ulta in the next section). But the biggest driver of change is a wave of regulations coming from governments globally, including several US states.

New Processes From Conception to End-of-Life

New organisations and initiatives are proposing more sustainable ways to design and dispose of beauty packaging, tackling an enduring industry challenge. While beauty and wellness produce about 120 billion packages annually (Pact, 2023), little of it gets recycled, as items are often too small for traditional recyclers or composed of multiple materials.

Transitioning From Plastic to Paper (and Alt-Paper)

As also evident at Luxe Pack Monaco 2022, a rising preference for paper (renewable and readily recycled) over plastic is driving innovation. However, “we are trading in one environmental disaster for another” as forests disappear, warned Nicole Rycroft, executive director of American-Canadian non-profit Canopy, which is producing a tree-free alternative material in hopes of averting this scenario.

Making Plastic More Palatable

New launches lend plastic some eco credentials. Refillable packaging is evolving, while manufacturers are making products more easily recyclable (resulting in a wave of monomaterial items) and integrating more recycled materials (such as clearly traceable ocean-retrieved plastic). Bio-based compostable plastics are also coming to market.