Packaging giant Tetra Pak has announced a 54% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in its own operations since 2019, and a 25% reduction across its value chain, in its 2024 Sustainability Report.
The packaging firm said that it now sources 94% of its operational energy from renewable sources, and remains ‘on track’ to achieve net-zero emissions from its own operations by the end of the decade.
It also said that it is committed to ‘working collaboratively with suppliers, customers and other stakeholders’ to achieve net zero across its entire value chain, including Scopes 1, 2 and 3, by 2050.
‘Surge in food demand’
“By 2050, the global population is projected to reach 10 billion, driving a 60% surge in food demand,” commented Adolfo Orive, president and CEO at Tetra Pak. “Yet, while food systems are vital to sustaining modern life, they also account for more than one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions.
“This growing tension between the need for increased food production and reduced environmental impact presents a critical challenge – one that Tetra Pak is committed to addressing.”
Turning to technology
According to the company, a significant contributor to its emissions reduction last year was its use of resource-efficient equipment, along with whole-factory optimisation technologies, and lower-carbon packaging solutions.
For example, emissions from its ambient dairy processing lines were 13% lower compared to 2023 levels, and 42% lower compared to a 2019 baseline. One specific innovation, the Tetra Pak Tubular Heat Exchanger with Q corrugation, helped reduce energy use in food processing by up to 40%, the company added.
“As highlighted in our latest Sustainability Report, we are driving more secure and sustainable food systems, while mitigating climate impacts and improving livelihoods,” Orive noted. “We look forward to working with our customers and other stakeholders as we continue the journey.” Read more here.
