Flexible packaging is one of the fastest-growing packaging sectors and a major contributor to global plastic pollution. It is the second largest packaging segment in the U.S. after corrugated cardboard, valued at $63 billion, comprising 21% of the U.S. packaging market.

Flexible packaging refers to both single layer plastic films, such those used for grocery bags and overwraps for food, and sturdier multi-material pouches or sachets. Over the last decade, one of the strongest trends in consumer goods packaging has been the replacement of rigid containers (glass, plastic, cardboard, metal) with flexible plastic pouches and sachets. Walk into any grocery store, and you will see scores of foods and consumer goods such as dried fruit, baby food, soup, pet food, and detergent formerly packaged in recyclable materials now packaged in multi-layer pouches. The biggest global market is in Asia, where companies like Unilever market single servings of shampoo, soap, and beauty products in small sachets to low-income people.

Flexible packaging is lighter and requires fewer materials and less energy to produce and transport than rigid packaging and so is often lauded as more sustainable packaging when viewed from a lifecycle perspective. However, there are no established technologies that can mechanically recycle multi-material pouches in a closed loop. Some flexibles are collected and downcycled into other products in some European markets, but there’s no substantive recycling of flexibles in the U.S.

Many consumer goods companies have pledged to make their packaging 100% recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025 as part of membership in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. As You Sow is challenging four major consumer goods companies to reduce use of flexible packaging to meet this important deadline. We have filed proposals for 2025 with Amazon, KraftHeinz, Mondelēz International, and PepsiCo asking for reports on how they could cut flexible packaging to help achieve their recyclability packaging commitments.

Amazon markets more than 100 brands of consumer goods, food, and beverages, many of which are packaged in flexible plastic as is packaging at its Whole Foods supermarket subsidiary. Flexible packaging makes up the majority of the 13% of Kraft Heinz’s products that are not recyclable, including the iconic Capri Sun children’s drink pouch. A whopping 70% of Mondelēz’s packaging is in film and flexibles, including Oreo cookies and Cadbury chocolate. More than 18% of PepsiCo packaging remains in flexibles, including its Frito-Lay potato chip brands.

While use of multilayer packaging was steadily growing for years, there were no substantive efforts by U.S. brands that use it to make it recyclable. As a result, these materials are most likely to be landfilled, littered, and swept into waterways, increasing the growing problem of plastic pollution.

The industry has begun to move to study whether flexibles can be made recyclable or recoverable but at too slow a pace to be able to impact the 2025 recyclability goals. We believe companies should be moving aggressively to switch flexibles to recyclable alternative materials or develop scalable reuse options.