Working on a net-zero industry in Europe

The deadline expires in 27 years, but Europe is already putting forward initiatives to become a climate-neutral continent by 2050, as established in the European Green Deal.

One of the latest proposals presented by the European Commission, in February 2023, is the so-called
Green Deal Industrial Plan. This aims to enhance the competitiveness of European industries and support the transition to carbon neutrality along the supply chain.

Zero emissions

An important part of the new plan is the Net-Zero Industry Act. The new set of rules is expected to lower the administrative burden and attract investments for developing net-zero manufacturing projects.

Some pet players are already working toward a circular economy, with the aim of achieving all these goals even before the 2050 deadline. Belgian pet food brand Edgard & Cooper, for example, plans to reach zero carbon in its operations in 2 years’ time, and to reduce emissions in the supply chain by 2030.

Other big manufacturers, such as Royal Canin, also have 2025 as their deadline for becoming a certified carbon-neutral company. The pet food manufacturer tells PETS International that they are indeed on track to achieve this target.

“We are seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the progressive reformulation of our products, including switching to low-carbon intensity ingredients, without compromising nutritional performance, quality and safety,” says a spokesperson.

Too much packaging waste?

The Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC) believes that the US pet food industry produces around 300 million pounds of plastic waste each year. Such numbers are not available for Europe, but EU officials warn that 40% of all available plastic and 50% of paper are used for packaging in the region.

Last November, in a bid to tackle the “constantly growing source of waste”, Brussels proposed a revision of the current packaging and waste legislation. The new rules are also meant to counter consumer frustration. According to a recent survey by the European Association of Carton and Cartonboard manufacturers, 55% of consumers have growing concerns about the environmental impact of plastic packaging.

What are the recycling targets?

The new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) targets a 15% reduction in packaging waste by 2040. It also wants to achieve a 73% rate of overall packaging recycling by 2030, and implement standardization of packaging formats. For plastic, the recycling target will be 65% by the end of 2025, and 70% after another 5 years. This would apply to both domestic and imported products.

The revised legislation would also make the use of pictograms on packaging mandatory. These indicate reuse options in a bid to “help consumers make informed choices”.

The Commission’s proposal is now heading to the co-legislators – the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union – that will assess and, potentially, amend the text. If adopted, it will be a European law that will come into force in all EU nations.

Eco-friendly packaging

The pet industry is already working on presenting more eco-friendly packaging to consumers.

Purina aims for 95% recycled packaging across its pet food portfolio by 2025. The Nestlé subsidiary says its small plastic pet food bags will begin transitioning to a material that is recyclable at store drop-off later this year. “We are on track to reduce the use of virgin plastic by a third by 2025, and we continue to increase the use of recycled content in our Tidy Cats cat litter packaging.”

In a similar move, Hill’s plans to switch to completely recyclable dry pet food packaging by 2025.

Last year, packaging multinational Mondi started investigating the use of non-paper components in perishable pet food packaging. The firm recently developed a pre-made mono-material polyethylene (PE) bag for a dry dog and cat food product sold by Norwegian pet food manufacturer Felleskjøpet.

Self-service pet food

In a bid to reduce single-use plastic pet food bags, Canidae Pet Food implemented a “disruptive technology” in 2022. This enables pet parents to buy kibble through a self-serve merchandiser, using reusable kibble bags, across 100 Petco locations in the US.

According to the company, consumers will pay less than $3 (€2.77) per pound, saving up to 40%. Canidae expects to sell nearly 400,000 pounds of food in the first year of operation and save the use of 50,000 bags.

Positive consumer research findings

Despite the current headwinds, consumers seem to be supportive of more eco-friendly packaging across all the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industries.

A 2023 PwC global survey concluded that 77% are willing to pay more for a product made from recycled, sustainable or eco-friendly materials.

European research, conducted by Trivium Packaging, discovered that 86% of consumers under the age of 45 are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging. What’s more, nearly 7 out of 10 consumers have recently chosen a product based on its sustainability claims.