Minimalizing environmental impact remains a hot topic in the beverage industry. As consumer preferences lean toward environmentally friendly products, brand owners and packaging material suppliers must adapt and manufacture beverages that utilize recyclable materials. The sustainability benefits of cartons and aseptic packaging not only reduce environmental impact, but also offer a sense of quality to consumers, experts note.
Flexible packaging represents approximately 19 percent of the total $167 billion U.S. packaging industry, and is the second largest segment behind corrugated paper, according to the Annapolis, Md.-based Flexible Packaging Association (FPA). As global waste [food and beverages, and its packaging] increasingly becomes an issue, flexible packaging innovates to help reduce this problem and extend product shelf life, the FPA says.