Sustainability is now a customer expectation when it comes to high-end, luxury packaging, a new report from Bain & Company and Fedrigoni has found.
According to the report, which was based on a survey of over 500 executives across the luxury packaging value chain in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, more than 30% of luxury packaging sales are expected to use sustainable solutions over the next three years.
‘Dynamic brand touchpoint’
“Packaging is evolving from a static container into a dynamic brand touchpoint,” commented Claudia D’Arpizio, senior partner and global head of the Fashion and Luxury practice at Bain & Company. “It’s no longer about choosing between beauty and responsibility. Today, you can—and must—deliver both.”
While traditionally, luxury has been defined by sensory experiences, such as the ‘feel of a hand-crafted box, [or] the gleam of a bespoke bottle’, the report notes, sustainability is increasingly viewed as a creative opportunity, compelling brands to combine aesthetics with environmental responsibility.
Sustainability, it adds, is ‘unlocking a new frontier’ for luxury storytelling and customer connection.
‘Evolution of luxury’
“Every day, through our close collaboration with brands, designers and converters, we witness the evolution of what luxury truly means: no longer just about aesthetics and exclusivity, but increasingly about responsibility, transparency and positive impact,” added Marco Nespolo, CEO, Fedrigoni Group.
“In this context, packaging becomes a powerful cultural symbol—beauty that reflects values, and innovation that embraces sustainability. As manufacturers of premium papers, and self-adhesive and RFID materials, our role is to enable this transformation by delivering high-performance, creative and sustainable solutions. Being a true partner means co-developing with our clients an ecosystem where every material choice becomes a strategic, sustainable and narrative touchpoint.”
In terms of the areas in which packaging firms are seeking to improve sustainability, reducing packaging weight and volume ranks highest, followed by reusability and the use of damage-resistant materials.
‘The future of luxury packaging isn’t just lighter and smarter but increasingly is symbolic of the luxury industry’s broader transformation toward transparency, responsibility, and deeper emotional connection,’ the report notes. Read more here.
