Plastic-free confectionery packaging? It’s complicated

Confectionery’s plastic packaging challenge – overview

• Confectionery relies heavily on plastic packaging for product protection
• Plastic alternatives often struggle to match plastic packaging performance
• Manufacturers increasingly favour recyclable plastics within circular economy models
• Rising EPR fees are incentivising packaging redesign and recyclability
• Paper packaging innovations show promise but recycling challenges remain

Confectionery has a plastic problem. From storage containers to conveyor belts, plastic is used at every stage of production. Yet nowhere is the industry’s reliance more visible than in its packaging.

For decades, flexible plastic films have been the material of choice for confectionery manufacturers, offering the barrier needed to protect products from moisture, oxygen and contamination, while extending shelf life and reducing food waste.

Whether it’s a chocolate bar, bag of sweets or pack of chewing gum, the versatile material plays a crucial role in ensuring products reach consumers in the same condition they left the factory.

As Arne Jost, external affairs director of CEFLEX (Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging) puts it, “these materials are chosen because of genuine functional requirements”.

But growing pressure from regulators, retailers and consumers is forcing manufacturers to rethink that dependence. As sustainability targets tighten and scrutiny of plastic waste intensifies, brands are increasingly being challenged to reduce their plastic footprint, without compromising product quality or performance.

The problem, however, is that there are no easy alternatives. Confectionery products require high-performance packaging to preserve flavour, texture and freshness over extended periods, making a simple switch away from plastic far more complex than many realise.

So what can manufacturers do?

Confectionery packaging and plastics

Well, it turns out the answer isn’t necessarily eliminating plastic altogether.

Instead, the focus is shifting towards plastic packaging that fits into a circular economy. In other words, making plastic that’s truly recyclable.

“It’s about using plastic that can actually be recycled and the material used again in meaningful secondary applications,” says CEFLEX’s Jost.

That means moving away from more complex packaging structures and towards formats that can be more easily processed through existing recycling streams.

On top of this, manufacturers are being urged to reduce the amount of plastic used – if it’s not needed to protect the product itself, then it’s not needed.

But sustainability isn’t the only force pushing manufacturers towards circular packaging. Economics are rapidly becoming a deciding factor.

“Eco-modulation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees will increasingly reward recyclable designs,” explains Jost. “License fees are expected to rise across the board but will reward better-designed packaging. Redesigning now captures those savings – waiting means accepting even higher fees or a lack of market access.”

But recyclable plastic isn’t the only route under consideration. For many brands, the search for alternatives has put paper packaging firmly in the spotlight.

Paper packaging in confectionery

“The appeal of paperisation is clear,” says Jost. For many consumers, paper has become synonymous with sustainability. Paper-based alternatives – particularly for outer wraps and visible packaging components – can create the perception of a more environmentally friendly product, even when the underlying structure remains complex.

And, as brands face growing pressure to reduce their plastic footprint, paper-based packaging has emerged as an attractive option, offering both environmental credentials and strong shelf appeal.

At the same time, the technology behind paper packaging is evolving rapidly. Barrier coatings that improve resistance to moisture and oxygen, water-based treatments and hybrid structures that combine paper with thin layers of plastic are helping to close the performance gap between paper and conventional flexible plastics.

These innovations are particularly important for confectionery products, where maintaining freshness, texture and flavour over extended shelf lives remains non-negotiable.

However, Jost warns that replacing plastic is rarely as straightforward as switching one material for another. Packaging must not only protect the product but also fit within existing waste management systems once it reaches the end of its life.

Many paper-based solutions rely on functional coatings, laminates or plastic layers to deliver the barrier properties confectionery requires. While these materials can improve performance, they can also create challenges for recycling. If paper fibres can’t be easily separated from the functional layers attached to them, packaging may struggle to be effectively recovered and recycled at scale.

“Unless these innovations are designed from the outset to work within existing recycling infrastructure - or new infrastructure is built to handle them - they may shift the problem rather than solve it,” says Jost.

For manufacturers, that means evaluating alternative materials not only on how they look or perform, but also on how they behave at end-of-life. In some cases, a well-designed recyclable plastic structure may ultimately be more sustainable than a paper-based alternative that can’t be efficiently processed through current recycling systems.

But these are not the only options on the table.

Beyond plastic and paper

Plastic and paper may dominate the packaging conversation, but they’re far from the only materials under consideration.

Aluminium, for example, has long been used in confectionery packaging, particularly for chocolate products, thanks to its strong barrier properties. Offering protection against moisture, oxygen and light, it remains an attractive option for products requiring extended shelf life. However, its higher cost and energy-intensive production can limit wider adoption.

Manufacturers are also exploring a new generation of bio-based and compostable materials. Cellulose films, starch-based packaging, sugarcane-derived polymers and even seaweed-based materials have all been touted as potential alternatives to conventional plastics.

For brands looking to improve their sustainability credentials, these solutions can offer an appealing route away from fossil-based materials.

Yet, as with paper, they come with trade-offs. Questions remain around performance, cost, scalability and end-of-life management. Many require dedicated composting or collection systems that are not yet widely available, while others struggle to match the barrier performance needed to protect confectionery products throughout their shelf life.

For now, most of these materials remain niche solutions rather than mainstream replacements. The industry’s challenge is less about finding a single miracle material and more about selecting the right packaging for the right application. As manufacturers weigh up recyclability, product protection, cost and consumer expectations, the future of confectionery packaging is likely to involve a mix of materials rather than a wholesale shift to any one alternative.