Sustainable Packaging challenge – new materials (University of Cambridge, IFM, UK)

Packaging is a critical leverage point in the transition to resilient, restorative and regenerative food systems. The sector faces rising pressure from climate targets, plastic reduction policies, extended producer responsibility (EPR), and changing consumer expectations, yet innovation remains fragmented across materials science, manufacturing, waste infrastructure, and regulation.

Although many new packaging materials and designs are emerging, companies struggle to decide which solutions to invest in, how to ensure compatibility with existing and future recycling systems, and how to manage the risk of stranded assets as regulation and infrastructure evolve.

Through its Open Innovation FMCG Forum, IfM Engage convenes major food and drink companies to collaboratively explore these challenges. Within SMAR3TS, this I3X focuses on creating a shared, evidence-based and system-level pathway from today’s packaging systems to tomorrow’s low-impact and circular packaging ecosystem.

The Innovate3X (I3X) challenge, framed as a call to deliver resilient, restorative and regenerative solutions, invites SMAR3TS partners to contribute through secondments that help evaluate, coordinate and roadmap new packaging materials and systems for real-world deployment.

In response to this I3X, secondees could work on, for example:

- Mapping current and future packaging material needs across food and drink value chains

- Assessing the technical, environmental and economic performance of emerging materials

- Analysing compatibility with recycling, reuse and waste-management infrastructure

- Supporting cross-company and cross-sector coordination around packaging innovation

- Developing short-, medium- and long-term transition roadmaps toward circular packaging

Necessary skills and capabilities across disciplines

This I3X requires knowledge of:

- Packaging materials science and manufacturing technologies

- Environmental sustainability and life-cycle assessment (LCA)

- Food safety, standards and regulatory frameworks

- Supply-chain and waste-management systems

- Business strategy, investment and innovation roadmapping

- Stakeholder coordination across brands, suppliers, recyclers and policymakers

Examples of challenges that need to be addressed

- Fragmented packaging innovation landscape
New materials are being developed, but without coordinated evaluation across manufacturing, recycling, cost and regulation.

- Short-term vs long-term sustainability trade-offs
Companies must decide how to improve sustainability now while also preparing for future packaging systems and legislation.

- Infrastructure compatibility
Many new materials fail because they do not work with existing sorting, recycling or reuse systems.

- Regulatory and investment uncertainty
Rapidly evolving policy (e.g. plastics regulation, EPR, recycling targets) makes it difficult to make long-term packaging investments.

I3X at the University of Cambridge – About the initiator

1. Background info

IfM Engage is part of the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), University of Cambridge, and specialises in translating research into practice through industry, government and societal engagement.

2. Research Group/Company Department

IfM Engage facilitates the translation of scientific and technological knowledge into real-world impact through consulting, education, roadmapping and communication, supporting organisations to address sustainability, health and innovation challenges.

Link to the website:https://engage.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk

Contact info: Dr David Lott, Chief Executive Officer, Academic Division: Manufacturing and Management, Telephone: tbc, Email: dl362@cam.ac.uk

See attachment for more info about the I3X initiator and I3X description.

Alignment to Work-Packages (Nutrition, Mobility, Energy, Housing)

This I3X is primarily aligned with the Nutrition domain of SMAR3TS, as packaging is a core component of food systems, food safety, food waste and environmental sustainability.

Alignment to Resilience, Restoration, Regeneration (R3)

This I3X contributes to:

- Resilience by reducing dependence on fragile and resource-intensive packaging supply chains

- Restoration by lowering environmental and climate impacts of food packaging

- Regeneration by enabling circular, recyclable and low-waste packaging ecosystems

Note:

The expression of interest for the secondment at the University of Cambridge (IFM Engage) must be submitted via the platform. Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and you will be contacted as soon as possible. For any questions, please contact: info@smar3ts.eu