Summary
A packaging footprint covers the emissions from making the material, forming it, moving it and disposing of it. Most of it is usually locked in at the material choice. To cut it, measure packaging inside your product carbon footprints, use less material, switch to recycled or lower-carbon materials, design for reuse and recycling, and prepare for tightening packaging rules.
What is the carbon footprint of packaging?
It is the total greenhouse gas emissions across the packaging's life cycle: raw material extraction, material production, conversion into packaging, transport and end of life. It is measured in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) and is usually reported as part of a product's footprint.
| Life-cycle stage | Where the emissions come from | Main levers |
| Raw materials | Oil and gas for virgin plastics; pulp and land use for paper; energy-intensive mining and smelting for aluminium; furnaces for glass | Recycled content, lower-carbon or certified materials |
| Material production and conversion | Energy to mould, blow, print, laminate and assemble packaging | Efficient processes, renewable electricity at converters |
| Transport | Fuel to move empty packaging and packed goods | Lightweighting, better pallet fill, local sourcing |
| End of life | Methane from paper and card in landfill; CO2 from incineration; lost material that must be replaced with virgin stock | Design for recycling, reuse systems, take-back |
How do packaging emissions fit into a company's GHG inventory?
They sit in Scope 3. Under the GHG Protocol, packaging a company buys falls into Category 1 (purchased goods and services). The disposal of packaging on products it sells falls into Category 12 (end-of-life treatment of sold products). For a single product, packaging is part of its product carbon footprint.
This is why packaging is a supplier topic as much as a design topic. See our guide to Scope 3 emissions.
Which packaging regulations apply?
Packaging rules are moving from voluntary targets to binding requirements, especially through extended producer responsibility (EPR), reporting and deposit schemes.
| Jurisdiction | Rule | What it requires | Key date |
| European Union | Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40 | Recyclability requirements, recycled-content targets, reuse targets, waste reduction and labelling rules, applied directly in every member state | Entered into force 11 February 2025; applies generally from 12 August 2026, with later dates for many requirements |
| Singapore | Mandatory Packaging Reporting under the Resource Sustainability Act | Companies that supply packaged products above a turnover threshold report packaging data and 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) plans to the National Environment Agency (NEA) | Annual reporting |
| Singapore | Beverage Container Return Scheme | 10-cent deposit on pre-packaged drinks in plastic and metal containers from 150 ml to 3 litres; producers must register with the scheme operator | Started 1 April 2026; transition period to 30 September 2026 |
Sources: European Commission Circular Economy portal; NEA (2026).
Singapore's NEA describes the deposit scheme as the first phase of its EPR framework for packaging. EPR shifts the cost and responsibility for end-of-life packaging to the companies that place it on the market. That gives them a direct reason to design packaging that is easier to collect and recycle.
What are the practical steps to decarbonise packaging?
Measure first, then use less, use better materials and design for circularity.
1. Measure packaging inside product footprints
You can't cut what you can't see. Include packaging materials and weights in your product carbon footprints, so you can compare formats and suppliers. Start with the products that sell the most.
2. Use less material
Lightweighting cuts both material and transport emissions. Remove unnecessary layers, right-size boxes and improve pallet fill. Make sure the lighter pack still protects the product: food waste from damaged goods can outweigh the packaging savings.
3. Choose lower-carbon materials
Switch to recycled content where you can, and compare materials on a life-cycle basis. Plant-based or biodegradable materials are not automatically lower-carbon. Their footprint depends on the crop, the land it uses and whether they are actually composted or recycled at end of life.
4. Design for reuse and recycling
Mono-material packs are easier to recycle than multi-layer laminates. Reusable formats can work well in closed loops, such as crates and pallets between suppliers and stores. Clear recycling labels help customers sort correctly.
5. Work with suppliers
Packaging converters and brand suppliers hold most of the data. Ask them for material, weight and recycled-content data, and agree shared targets. Take-back schemes with suppliers can also keep material in use. See our tips on engaging suppliers on Scope 3.
What makes packaging decarbonisation hard?
Cost, scale and trade-offs between goals.
- Cost and supply. Recycled and alternative materials can cost more and may not be available at volume. Long-term supply contracts and pooled demand across categories can help.
- Trade-offs. A lighter pack may be harder to recycle. A recyclable pack may protect the product less. Life-cycle footprints help compare options on one basis.
- Customer acceptance. New formats can be seen as less convenient. Clear communication on why the pack changed helps.
- Moving rules. Requirements differ by market and keep changing, so packaging data needs to be reusable for several reports.
What does this look like at scale?
Packaging decisions need product-level data across a whole range. Pokka, the beverage brand, used Terrascope to calculate product carbon footprints for 4,980 SKUs, with about 92% accuracy on 700 of them. Read the Pokka case study.
How Terrascope helps
Terrascope's product carbon footprint (PCF) tools let you model packaging alongside ingredients and manufacturing:
- Footprint every SKU, including packaging materials and weights, at scale.
- Compare packaging formats and materials before you switch.
- Collect material and recycled-content data from packaging suppliers through Scope 3 supplier engagement.
- Roll product footprints into your corporate Scope 3 inventory, so packaging changes show up in your reported emissions.
For retailers, see how packaging fits into the wider picture in decarbonising for retailers.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the carbon footprint of packaging? The total greenhouse gas emissions from making, forming, transporting and disposing of packaging, measured in CO2e. It is usually included in a product's carbon footprint.
Which packaging material has the lowest carbon footprint? It depends on the product, weight, recycled content and end of life. Compare options with a life-cycle assessment rather than assuming one material is always best.
Are packaging emissions Scope 3? Yes, for most companies. Purchased packaging is Scope 3 Category 1. Disposal of packaging on sold products is Category 12.
When does the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation apply? It entered into force on 11 February 2025 and applies generally from 12 August 2026. Many specific requirements, such as recyclability and recycled-content targets, phase in later.
What is extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging? A policy that makes companies placing packaging on the market responsible for its collection and recycling, usually through fees or take-back obligations.
Get started with product footprints
Book a complimentary PCF workshop to see how packaging changes would show up in your product footprints.
