The document presents visions for sustainable food packaging in Finland by 2050. It describes workshops and interviews conducted with stakeholders to develop these visions. The visions are categorized based on their depth of change and breadth of involvement across different systems and actors. Example visions include a future with intelligent delivery systems and limited reusable packaging, as well as standardized packaging that improves recyclability. The document concludes that continued cooperation across food packaging systems and levels of government and industry is needed to realize these visions and transform the packaging system for sustainability by 2050.

1. Pakkaa
tulevaisuuteen –
Pack to the future
Visiot kestävästä
ruokapakkaamisesta
2050
Titta Tapiola, Luke

2. About visions
• Visions are normative small “scenarios”, that focus on
creating desirable futures.
• Can be short or presented as longer narratives.
• There are plenty of food system visions from different
levels and geographical areas, but only few for food
packaging system.
• Visions are seen important for guiding systemic
transformations.

3. Materials
Number of
participants
Type of participants Materials
Visioning
workshop
40 private companies, research, NGOs
and governmental organizations
41 visions
Kick-off
seminar
60 private companies, research, NGOs
and governmental organizations
68 vision
elements
Workshop for
selected
NGOs
7 NGOs 18 vision
elements
Interviews 8 private companies from food and
package industries (6) and
governmental organizations (2).
32 vision
elements

4. Vision framework and a visions cluster
Depth of change:
• Connection to leverage points: re-
structure, re-think and re-connect
Breadth of change
• How broadly different systems or
actors are involved
Together different visions form a “vision
cluster”
(Meadows, 1999; Abson et al., 201; Fazey et al., 2018)

5. Example of a vision cluster
Ocean (broad and deep)
• Food is a personal service for which we have
intelligent delivery system based on a limited
number of reusable packaging.
• Strong reduction of packaging waste through
operation between stakeholders throughout
whole life cycle of packaging.
• Parallel solutions: recycling, biodegradable,
reusable or non-packaging solutions
Pond (narrow and shallow)
• Even bio-based plastic composites are
recyclable
(many are not today).
• Packages are easy to sort.
Beach (broad and shallow)
• 2050 we have safe, material-efficient food
production, supply, and distribution chains.
Reusable or recyclable packaging has replaced
single-use packaging where it makes sense for the
overall environmental impact and does not increase
health risks.
• Consumers have been motivated to recycle, for
example with deposits.
Fjord (narrow and deep)
• In 2050, there will be 10 sustainably
produced and recyclable materials in the
world that we use to food packing.
• In 2050, consumers will evaluate
companies in the food value chain based
on the right information, regarding the
environmental efficiency of their
operations, including the reduction of
food waste and the recycling of
packaging.
Depth of
change
Breadth of change

6. Example of a recycling vision cluster
Ocean (broad and deep)
• Pack sizes and types have been standardized, which makes it
consumer (e.g., nested boxes).
• By 2050 Finland is known as an expert of recycling, producer of
produce and top exporter of diverse, logistically smart, and
packages
Pond (narrow and shallow)
• Even bio-based plastic composites are recyclable (many are
not today).
• Plastic materials are evolving in such a way that the number
of plastics used decreases and the remaining ones become
more widely usable and more recyclable.
• Packages are easy to recycle.
Beach (broad and shallow)
• 2050 we have safe, material-efficient food production, supply,
and distribution chains. Reusable or recyclable packaging has
replaced single-use packaging where it makes sense for the
overall environmental impact and does not increase health risks.
• In the future, food can be safely packaged with minimal food
waste and the packaging is recyclable and or reusable.
• Consumers have been motivated to recycle, for example with
deposits.
• By 2050, all packaging materials (including plastic and fibre) can
be safely reused in new food packaging. These packaging
materials are made from ecological, non-edible and renewable
resources that decompose when accidentally released into the
nature.
Fjord (narrow and deep)
• In 2050, there will be 10 sustainably produced and
recyclable materials in the world that we use to food
packing.
Depth of
change
Breadth of change

7. What next?
• It was envisioned more cooperation within and especially
between different food packaging systems (horizontal
dimension, width), and at different levels (vertical
dimension, depth).
• Transformation was seen as an opportunity to innovate
and bring new functionalities to packaging and to entire
packaging system.
• Package-Heroes will continue the work with
stakeholders.

8. Thank you!
Kiitos!