A new era in sustainable produce packaging
Packaging is one of the most critical elements of the fresh produce supply chain. It plays a key role in protecting food quality and safety, extending shelf life and enabling efficient transportation. However, packaging comes with environmental impacts that growers, retailers, regulators and consumers are increasingly concerned about. Across North America, inconsistent policies, varied marketing claims and fragmented requirements have created a confusing and costly landscape for the fresh produce industry.
To address these challenges, Western Growers, in partnership with the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) and a diverse coalition of produce industry leaders, has launched the Sustainable Produce Packaging Alignment (SPPA) initiative. This industry-driven collaboration is working to create scientifically sound, achievable and sustainable guidelines for fresh produce packaging.
In my role as the Sustainable Produce Packaging Assistant at Western Growers, I provide growers with resources to learn about sustainable packaging trends, materials and technologies that extend shelf life and improve operational efficiency. I act as a bridge between scientific research and the people who can put it into practice, helping to translate complex findings into accessible information that inspires action. Sustainable packaging is important to me because I want individuals across the industry to see themselves as advocates of environmental protection and be empowered to drive meaningful change.
Why SPPA?
Alignment on sustainability goals is needed for the industry to move forward congruently. Across jurisdictions, sustainability policies related to packaging are often developed in isolation, resulting in guidelines that may conflict with one another or with the practical realities of produce production and distribution. At the same time, consumer interest in sustainable packaging has grown rapidly, with expectations that retailers and growers will provide environmentally responsible solutions. Without alignment, growers, packers and retailers risk facing increased costs, inefficiencies and missed opportunities for innovation.
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This is where SPPA provides clarity. The initiative champions the concept of “Functional Sustainability,” a holistic framework that evaluates packaging not only by whether materials can be recycled or composted, but also by how well they perform across the entire supply chain. Functional sustainability accounts for the environmental impact of manufacturing materials, the ability of packaging to preserve freshness and food safety, protect produce from damage and contamination and improve handling and transport efficiency.
By emphasizing functional sustainability, SPPA highlights that packaging must protect the immense environmental resources already invested in producing fresh food, from farm to fork. A package that preserves quality, reduces food waste and enables efficient delivery is just as critical to sustainability as one designed for end-of-life recovery.
The SPPA Roadmap
At the heart of the initiative is the SPPA Roadmap, which highlights the risks of fragmented regulations, identifies opportunities for harmonization and recommends strategies that can be realistically adopted by growers, retailers and regulatory agencies. The roadmap serves as a technical guide for the industry, a reference point for regulators shaping packaging policy and an educational resource for consumers.
Looking Ahead
The SPPA is a collaborative effort to align the industry with fresh produce packaging that balances functionality, economics and environmental responsibility. Together, the groups involved leverage existing technical expertise, sustainability frameworks and regulatory perspectives to ensure recommendations are grounded in science and practicality.
For me, the most exciting part of the SPPA Roadmap is that it proves sustainability and functionality don’t have to be at odds but can work together. This resource allows us to move beyond fragmented solutions and drive real, scalable change in the fresh produce industry.
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I am inspired by the potential for growers, retailers, regulators and consumers to see packaging as a tool for preserving resources, reducing food loss and waste and protecting our environment.
As the conversation around sustainable and functional packaging continues to grow, SPPA provides a necessary platform for unity, innovation and shared progress. For growers, retailers, policymakers and consumers, this alignment represents a crucial step forward in building a more resilient and environmentally responsible fresh produce industry.
By Isa Glassen
Source: theproducenews.com
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