A DAY WITHOUT PACKAGING

Packaging accounts for 40% of the world’s plastic waste (Samborska V, 2024). No packaging would mean a reduction in materials, litter, pollution and a step towards a more sustainable future. As such, it seems like a win for the environment and exactly what people have been working towards for years. Yet soon enough, fresh food would spoil, supply chains stall and supermarket shelves would become empty as essential goods could no longer be transported.  A day without packaging would reveal multiple challenges. More importantly, it would highlight how packaging quietly does a job that is only noticed once it has gone.

“A more sustainable future in packaging calls for new alternatives”

From the beginning of each day, packaging plays a fundamental role in daily routines. Imagine waking up and finding your toothpaste without a tube or reaching for milk from the fridge without its carton. It would be impossible to get a morning coffee without coffee cups. At lunchtime, there would be very little choice as sandwiches, crisp packets and plastic bottles would no longer be available. Later, grocery shopping would be extremely limited without bags, pots, bottles or boxes. At the chemist, medication would be unidentifiable without its packaging. A day without packaging  would be almost impossible.

Ironically, packaging is invisible until it disappears. Its presence is unrecognised in helping to protect and encase products, facilitate safe transportation and preserve food. It is also necessary to prevent contamination and offer important branding and information about its contents. Without it, food would not stay fresh, items would get easily broken and medical supplies would no longer be sterile. Lack of packaging would result in deliveries being halted and most everyday items becoming unavailable. If packaging were removed, its necessity to modern life would soon become clear.

It is estimated that UK households throw away 82 billion pieces of plastic packaging every year. Around 82% of this comes from food and drink packaging (The Big Plastic Count, 2026). Because of this, initiatives such as the UK Plastics Pact, aim to reduce consumption of plastic packaging. In addition, the Fresh Produce Consortium hopes for 50% of uncut fresh produce to be sold unpackaged in supermarkets by 2030. However, these can contradict with food waste prevention initiatives. For example, the UK produces around 9.5 million tonnes of food waste annually (McShane M, 2026). Food packaging can mitigate food waste by helping to prevent physical damage, provide portion sizes, extend shelf life and create a barrier to oxygen, water and contaminants to avoid spoilage. 

Unfortunately, conventional packaging still presents environmental concerns because soft flexible plastics are difficult to recycle. Other disposal methods include incineration, landfill or exportation. These practices worsen global warming, accelerate climate change and harm communities. Therefore, a more sustainable future in packaging calls for new alternatives. They need to meet the functional requirements of plastic packaging and support responsible consumption and end-of-life management.

“Barrier coatings enable paper to replace plastic laminates and films”

Paper has become one of the most promising materials in the transition towards a circular economy. This is because it uses a renewable raw material and is widely recycled and biodegradable. However, paper is less durable and rigid than plastic and naturally absorbs water, oil and grease. This makes it unsuitable for food and pharmaceutical applications.

Thankfully, advances in production methodologies and barrier coatings can enhance performance and extend paper’s potential in the packaging industry. Dry moulding, wet moulding, thermo-forming, embossing and laminating all help to increase the stiffness, strength and rigidity of paper. 

Barrier coatings enable paper to replace plastic laminates and films, providing water, oil and odour resistance. This makes them ideal for food packaging, medical packaging and consumer goods. The paper can still be heat sealed at the edges and the smoother surface allows for high-definition prints by limiting excessive ink absorption. 

The fibre-based packaging industry is growing and set to become the leading sustainable material by 2045. This is possible, thanks to developments in barrier-coating technologies, stricter regulations and greater consciousness amongst consumers (Sustainable Packaging News, 2026).

“Powerdrop™ can achieve very high transfer efficiency, saving both materials and energy”

Archipelago Technology Group Ltd is contributing to this shift. The company’s Powerdrop™ coating-application technology can be used to apply high-quality, water-based coatings to fibre-based substrates. The non-contact coating process offers an efficient, low-waste, high-precision solution to coat flat and 3D objects, at viscosities ranging from 1–2,000mPas. By applying a uniform barrier layer – that contributes only 5% or less of the substrate’s weight – the coating improves functionality without compromising on recyclability. 

Recently, Archipelago has successfully coated spoons, bottle lids, coffee capsules, meat trays, yoghurt pots and fruit trays with a variety of primers and coatings. This indicates how new coating-application technologies – such as Powerdrop™ – are expanding the range of products that can transition from plastic packaging to suitable fibre-based options.

Archipelago Technology Group Limited is developing the Powerdrop™ coater and end-to-end coating process for the moulded fibre-food packaging industry. It is a patented coating technology that enables precise, non-contact application of barrier coatings onto 3D surfaces. These include moulded pulp containers. Unlike conventional spray-coating methods, Powerdrop™ can achieve very high transfer efficiency, saving both materials and energy. A single Powerdrop™ coater is able to run at industrial speeds to coat over 100 million packages per year. 

A day without packaging would pose significant challenges. It would expose just how much dependence is put on packaging and perhaps taken for granted. From protecting food, medicines and cosmetics, and permitting safe transportation of goods, packaging plays an extensive role in almost every aspect of today’s world. Although packaging presents a multitude of environmental concerns, it is certainly indispensable and therefore must evolve with sustainability in mind. As such, the goal is not necessarily to eliminate packaging, but to rethink how it is designed, used and disposed. 

References 
Samborska V (2024, November 14). Packaging is the source of 40% of the planet’s plastic waste. Retrieved from Our World in Data:
www.ourworldindata.org/data-insights/packaging-is-the-source-of-40-of-the-planets-plastic-waste

•     The Big Plastic Count (2026). The Big Plastic Count 2026 results are in! Retrieved from The Big Plastic Count: www.thebigplasticcount.com/

•     McShane M (2026, April 9). Food Waste Statistics in the UK: 2026 Facts, Data & Key Insights. Retrieved from Food Hygiene Certificate: www.foodhygienecertificate.co.uk/blog/food-waste-statistics-uk/

•     Sustainable Packaging News (2026, June 30). Fibre-based food packaging set to lead by 2045 as barrier innovations accelerate and regulation tightens, new study reveals. Retrieved from Sustainable Packaging News: www.spnews.com/fibre-based-set-to-lead/