A new study by Tetra Pak has found that more than three-quarters (77%) of food and beverage companies express readiness to embrace cost-related compromises linked to the adoption of sustainable manufacturing and processing solutions.
When surveyed about their company’s willingness to accept various trade-offs while implementing sustainable solutions, 41% of food-and-beverage industry respondents indicated they would “definitely” accept cost-related trade-offs, while 36% stated they would “probably” accept them.
Additionally, 10% reported they were undecided, 11% indicated they would “probably not” accept, and only 3% stated they would “definitely not” accept cost-related trade-offs.
‘Rethinking business’
“The food and beverage industry is at a critical moment, rethinking its way of doing business to help address the climate emergency and dealing with the inevitable impact this has on their operations and solutions,” commented Gilles Tisserand, vice president, Climate & Biodiversity, Tetra Pak.
“They are looking to suppliers to help them thrive in an increasingly competitive market, and we remain committed to playing our part, keeping the innovation engine running to develop new research, collaborative ecosystems and product offering.”
Tetra Pak’s study aimed to assess the dedication of food and beverage industry leaders to sustainability, revealing that three out of the top five commitments made by firms in this sector revolve around reducing plastic usage.
Customer demand emerged as the primary driver for implementing new sustainable solutions in manufacturing and processing operations, cited by half of the surveyed participants.
Decarbonising global food systems
The company added that the emphasis on environmental impact within the food and beverage industry has reached a critical juncture, necessitating the adoption of practices that decarbonise global food systems.
When surveyed about the role of packaging and processing suppliers in this endeavour, two-thirds (65%) of companies emphasised the significance of new product developments and innovation.
Tisserand added that the industry’s innovation efforts in sustainability are centred on renewability, recyclability, and ensuring the decarbonisation and circularity of materials, particularly in addressing the need for sustainable food packaging.
“Findings such as the fact that cartons are considered by consumers to be the most ‘environmentally sound’ beverage package, while plastic is considered the least, are a testament that we are on the right path,” he said.
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