Designing sustainable packaging involves much more than simply reducing the amount of plastic used. Every decision made during development affects product protection, resource consumption, recyclability, and regulatory compliance. This is where ecodesign principles come into play: a methodology that enables optimization of packaging performance throughout its entire life cycle.
In this post, we explain what ecodesign is, how it applies to flexible packaging, and which aspects to consider when developing packaging solutions that are ready to meet the current challenges facing the food industry.
What is ecodesign and why is it applied to packaging?
Designing packaging with a lower environmental impact involves much more than simply reducing the amount of plastic used. Every decision made during development affects product protection, resource consumption, recyclability and regulatory compliance. This is where ecodesign principles come into play. Ecodesign is an approach that helps optimize packaging performance throughout its life cycle while considering its potential environmental impacts.
Applying ecodesign means incorporating environmental criteria from the very beginning of a project, when materials, processes, and packaging performance can still be optimized efficiently.
In flexible packaging, applying ecodesign criteria involves reviewing aspects such as:
- The amount of raw materials used.
- The selection of more recyclable structures.
- The efficiency of the manufacturing process.
- The optimization of transport and logistics.
- Packaging management at the end of its useful life.
The goal is not to produce lighter packaging at any cost, but to design structures that strike the right balance among protection, performance, and sustainability.
Ecodesign principles in packaging design
Ecodesign principles are based on a simple idea: every decision made during packaging development influences its environmental and functional performance. For this reason, design must be approached holistically, taking into account the product it will contain as well as the manufacturing process, transport, use and subsequent recycling.
It is also important to assess how all packaging components interact with one another, including materials, inks, adhesives and finishes, as these can also affect recyclability and performance during use.
Material reduction in packaging design
Material reduction in packaging design is one of the best-known ecodesign strategies, yet also one of the most complex. Reducing packaging thickness only makes sense when its ability to protect and preserve the product throughout its entire shelf life remains intact.
To achieve this, packaging design generally focuses on:
- Optimizing the packaging structure by adjusting thickness and making better use of each layer.
- Selecting materials with better properties that make it possible to reduce resource consumption without compromising performance.
- Eliminating unnecessary elements and improving the packaging process, enabling more efficient use of resources.
The aim is not simply to use less plastic, but to use only the amount required to ensure packaging safety, functionality and performance.
Ecodesign and recyclability
The relationship between ecodesign and recyclability is becoming increasingly important. Designing packaging with its end of life in mind can make its materials easier to collect, sort and recycle through the available waste-management systems. To achieve this, structures can be simplified, mono-material solutions can be considered whenever they meet the requirements of the application, and inks, adhesives and other components can be selected for their compatibility with recycling processes.
It is also important that packaging can be correctly identified and sorted at sorting facilities. However, the theoretical recyclability of a structure does not guarantee that it will actually be recycled. Effective recycling also depends on the collection, sorting and treatment systems available in each market.
There is no universal solution: each application requires a design that ensures product preservation and safety while taking its end of life into account.
Design focused on product shelf life
The environmental impact of packaging cannot be assessed without considering the product it protects. In many cases, the environmental impact of product waste can be greater than that of the packaging itself, so both factors need to be analyzed together.
In this context, ecodesign also aims to:
- Reduce food waste.
- Extend product shelf life.
- Ensure protection against factors such as moisture, oxygen and light, while also withstanding transport and storage conditions.
The goal is to find the right balance between preservation, functionality and recyclability according to the requirements of each application.
Packaging life cycle assessment: what does it measure?
A life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool used to measure the environmental impact of packaging from raw material extraction through to its management at the end of its useful life. This analysis considers every stage of the life cycle, including manufacturing, energy consumption, transport, use, recycling and final treatment.
An LCA makes it possible to compare different design alternatives using objective data and make informed decisions. In fact, packaging that appears lighter does not necessarily have a lower environmental impact if it compromises product preservation or increases losses during distribution.
Life cycle assessment can therefore help prevent impacts from being transferred from one stage of the packaging life cycle to another and support more informed design decisions.
Packaging ecodesign: what does the PPWR require?
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40, known as the PPWR, has generally applied since 12 August 2026. It progressively introduces new requirements intended to prevent packaging waste and improve packaging circularity across the European Union.
These requirements include:
- Minimizing packaging weight and volume while maintaining its functionality.
- Design-for-recycling requirements and, progressively, recyclability at scale.
- Recycled-content targets for certain categories of plastic packaging, according to the deadlines established in the Regulation.
- Measures relating to waste prevention, reuse and refill systems.
For companies, compliance therefore depends not only on the material selected but also on the complete packaging structure, its components, its intended function, the supporting technical documentation and its integration into collection, sorting and recycling systems. The different requirements and assessment methods will apply progressively according to the timetable established by the Regulation.
Industrial ecodesign: applications beyond packaging
Industrial ecodesign is not limited to packaging design. It also encompasses development and manufacturing processes to identify opportunities to reduce environmental impact without compromising quality or productivity.
This involves optimizing processes such as extrusion and printing, thereby reducing energy consumption and minimizing waste generated during production. As a result, ecodesign influences not only the final performance of the packaging, but also the efficiency of the entire production process.
This approach delivers both environmental and operational benefits, improving the competitiveness of manufacturers and brands without compromising the technical performance of the packaging.
How to apply ecodesign to your packaging
Applying ecodesign to packaging requires each project to be assessed individually. There is no single packaging solution suitable for every application, as each product has different requirements for preservation, strength, barrier properties, and packaging processes.
Before defining the structure, it is important to consider aspects such as:
- The product’s characteristics and shelf life.
- Storage and transport conditions.
- Compatibility with packaging machinery.
- Recyclability targets and PPWR compliance.
Only through a comprehensive assessment can packaging be developed that strikes the right balance among protection, functionality, and recyclability for each application.
SP Group: ecodesign expertise for future-ready packaging
At SP Group, we understand that applying ecodesign principles means taking a holistic approach to each project to develop packaging that combines protection, recyclability, and optimized use of resources.
Our approach integrates material development, structural optimization, printing system selection, and compatibility with packaging processes to deliver solutions tailored to each customer’s specific needs.
The SP Group team supports manufacturers and brands throughout the entire process, integrating ecodesign, innovation and PPWR compliance criteria from the earliest stages of development.
This life cycle perspective enables us to assess the most relevant optimization opportunities for each project, taking into account the required technical performance as well as industrial and regulatory requirements.
Every application has different requirements and calls for a specific solution. Are you looking to improve an existing packaging solution or develop a new one? Contact our team to assess the technical, industrial and regulatory requirements of your project.