Between bravery and balance: How packaging can lead with purpose

Collective responsibility

Chris reflected on the balance brands must strike between competitive edge and collective progress. “As a brand, you want to be first to market. You want to utilise a new technology, material, or format to gain a competitive edge. However, particularly in the area of sustainability, you also want to encourage others to follow suit. Striking that balance is difficult.”

And then, of course, there’s the commercial reality: Sustainability, unfortunately, generally comes at a cost. You’re often eating into your margins to deliver it. So, who then absorbs that cost? If you’re developing a new material or aiming to be first to market, the scale may not yet exist to make it viable. That’s where bravery comes in. You have to trust that the consumer will buy into it.”

Yet even consumer intent can’t be taken for granted. “While most consumers say they want to make sustainable choices, when it comes to cost, especially outside of premium categories, it becomes much harder for them to follow through.”

The lack of regulatory clarity is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. Even with the right materials and well-intentioned design, the success of sustainable packaging ultimately depends on factors far beyond a brand’s control. Without the right infrastructure, even the most responsibly designed formats can fall short of their potential. A compostable film is only effective if consumers know how to dispose of it, and if there’s a facility to process it on the other end. Likewise, a recyclable pack means little if it ends up in general waste due to confusion, apathy, or lack of access.

It’s a reminder that packaging doesn’t exist in isolation – it’s part of a wider ecosystem. One that spans policy, waste management, consumer behaviour, and education. To drive real change, Chris argued, the entire system needs to evolve in tandem. “You almost need all the planets to align,” he continued. “You need infrastructure. You need educated consumers who are willing to change. Recycling rates are still too low to make the system work effectively. People need to adopt new models, such as refill systems. We have to rethink the way we consume.”

And that rethinking must be collective. “Everyone has a role to play. Brands, governments, infrastructure, and consumers, too. In the UK, there’s a lot of variation in infrastructure, which can be confusing for people. Then there’s the question of consumer willingness to recycle or reuse, which adds another layer of challenge.”

For brands, the obligation isn’t just to provide the right options, but to communicate their value. “We have a responsibility not only to offer solutions, but also to help educate. And that’s not just the job of R&D, it’s on the whole brand team: the marketers, the brand managers, everyone involved.”

Rethinking materials

That courage to challenge norms is just as important in design and format decisions. “When you think about premium drinks, glass bottles with outer cartons are the traditional, expected packaging,” he said. “It’s nice to see brands now experimenting or exploring alternative materials and formats beyond those established norms.”

Still, that experimentation brings its own complications. “The challenge for me, as a consumer, is figuring out what the right choice is for that product, taking into account the cost, sustainability, and functionality. Is glass the right choice? Is metal? Is plastic? It’s hard to tell. And that’s coming from someone in the industry. So, imagine how confusing it is for consumers.”

The complexity is heightened by competing narratives around materials. “Every material has its advocates. Glass has its case. Plastic has its case. It really is horses for courses. You can’t say any one material is the best across the board.”

Even within a single category, the picture is nuanced. “Take milk, for example. Glass bottles work really well. There’s a strong reuse and return infrastructure behind them, and clear glass is infinitely recyclable. But then you also have HDPE plastic milk bottles. And to be fair, that’s probably one of the best recycling success stories in the plastics space.”

Despite the science, public sentiment can make it difficult for brands to choose plastics, even when they’re the most logical choice. “It’s really difficult right now to make a strong case for plastic,” Allinson said, “even though, scientifically and objectively, it can be one of the best solutions for a number of applications. But the mood music around plastics is overwhelmingly negative. Plastics are ‘bad.’ Plastics are ‘evil.’ That’s what many consumers believe, and they don’t want to see them in any context.”

Despite all of this, Chris remains optimistic and believes platforms like the London Packaging Week Innovation Awards play a critical role in driving progress. “Some of the entries today are genuinely outstanding. But if no one is highlighting or rewarding that kind of work, how do we keep those innovators motivated?”

Recognition, he believes, is a vital part of the ecosystem. “Platforms like this, where people get to share, promote, and be recognised for doing good work, are essential. They help drive progress, and they give credit where it’s due.”

In a space as complex as packaging, where the answers are rarely absolute, that recognition helps fuel a more honest and collaborative conversation—one that prizes action over perfection and purpose over performance.

The London Packaging Week Innovation Awards will return as part of London Packaging Week, taking place on 15 & 16 October 2025 at Excel London. From purposeful design to sustainable innovation, the show celebrates the ideas shaping the future of packaging across beauty, drinks, FMCG, and luxury.

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