What’s the potential financial impact of new legislation?

There’s no way to sugarcoat this: EPR and Simpler Recycling reforms will introduce direct costs to businesses. For many food-to-go operators, this means paying fees based on the volume and recyclability of packaging placed on the market. 

If you’re using non-recyclable or composite materials, expect those costs to be higher. If your packaging isn’t compliant or correctly labelled, you could face penalties. The key is to work with your supplier to pre-empt those costs by specifying packaging that’s optimised for recyclability and aligned with the approved waste streams.

What changes do I need to make to my packaging choices?

In many cases there will be a trade-off between functionality and cost. Packaging choices should now be made not just for food performance but for end-of-life clarity.

Where possible, focus on simplicity and single-material formats. Mixed-material packaging – such as laminated cartons, windowed boxes with glued films, or carbon black plastics trays – are going to be penalised. Look for items that use widely recycled materials such as clear PET or uncoated paperboard, are easy to separate (i.e. peelable liners), and have clear front-of-pack recycling labelling.

What new opportunities do these challenges bring for my business?

This shift allows you to differentiate your brand. Customer eyes are on you and rewards will flow for suppliers who help them hit sustainability targets.

The new regime provides an opportunity to rationalise packaging SKUs to fewer and more recyclable items, while positioning yourself as a responsible operator via effective communication of the choices you have made. Over time, this will also leverage better data through EPR tracking to reduce packaging waste and cost.

If done correctly, sustainability becomes a value driver rather than just a compliance cost and administrative burden.

How can I use these legislative changes in a positive way for my business’s reputation?

Be transparent and tell your customers what you’re doing and why.

Whether it’s a new fully recyclable sandwich skillet or moving away from hard-to-recycle films, frame it as making proactive decisions to reduce waste and protect the planet.Partnering with a knowledgeable and local manufacturer sends a strong message that you are serious about leading by example. Your packaging is one of the most visible parts of your brand, so use it to tell a positive story!

In terms of sandwiches and FTG, are there practical, easy wins for operators?

Yes, and the best ones are often low effort, with high reward. There are several steps you can take to make a big impact without major disruption to operations.

Switching from mixed-laminate boards to uncoated or barrier-coated mono-materials is a quick and easy win. Although multi-layer laminated solutions are technically effective – but difficult to recycle – next generation barrier dispersion or water-based coating solutions are improving all the time, with the aim of performing like plastic but being recycled like paper. Of course, use uncoated options where barriers are not critical.

Where possible, reduce unnecessary complexity in pack formats. Simplifying designs can improve manufacturing efficiency, thereby reducing production cost (and cost control under EPR), improve recyclability performance through the removal of excessive folds, overlapping flaps and complex tray geometries which trap food.

Other ideas might be to consider moving away from hard to recycle carbon black plastic and ensure your packs carry clear and compliant labelling to guide the customer.

What is the future for sandwich packaging, especially in light of falling demand for pizza boxes in the US? 

Consumer preferences are shifting towards portability and lower-cost lighter meals. While pizza boxes are declining, sandwich and convenience packaging is where demand is moving – and it is more fragmented and innovation led. This ‘recontouring’ of profile towards greater SKU complexity, shorter runs, faster turnaround times and a squeeze on specialist substrates can trigger price volatility and supply shifts.

Do you think there needs to be a better education model around what’s actually going into packaging?

Absolutely. There’s still widespread confusion – not just among consumers but within the supply chain. The industry needs to do a better job of explaining materials, coatings, recyclability and disposal pathways in plain language.That education has to be ongoing and cross-channel, involving manufacturers, distributors, retailers and consumers, while also being supported by legislation. If we want packaging to be part of the sustainability solution, we need to make it easier for everyone to understand what it is, what it does and where it goes.

For more information on the Sabert range, visit sabert.com.