How Flexible Packaging Cuts Plastic Use for Brands

Brands across the food, pet care, nutrition and industrial sectors are under growing pressure to reduce their environmental footprint without compromising on product protection, shelf appeal or cost. One of the most effective ways to do this is by switching from rigid packaging to flexible packaging. At Tyler Packaging, we’ve spent over 40 years helping businesses make that switch, and the sustainability gains are significant.

The core advantage of flexible packaging is simple: it uses far less material to do the same job. Films, pouches and laminates are engineered to protect products using a fraction of the plastic required by rigid containers like tubs, bottles or jars.

Our flexible laminates use up to 70% less material than equivalent rigid packaging, while still delivering the same strength, barrier protection and shelf life. That reduction isn’t just good for the planet, it also means lighter shipments, more units per pallet, and lower transport costs and emissions.

Not all flexible packaging is created equal, and the right choice depends on a brand’s specific goals. At Tyler, we offer three main routes:

• Recyclable, monomaterial packaging – designed to support a genuinely circular economy, so pouches can be recycled at end of life rather than sent to landfill.
• Compostable packaging – made from renewable materials that break down naturally, ideal for brands wanting to return to nature.
• Conventional laminated packaging – still highly durable and resource-efficient, using significantly less material than rigid alternatives, and can reduce the impact of material use.

Getting the size, thickness and material combination right allows brands to target the specific environmental outcome that matters most to them, whether that’s cutting fossil fuel use, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, or reducing water consumption.

Independently verified life cycle assessment data gives a clear picture of what switching can achieve. For every one million 2kg bags moved from conventional PET/PETMET/PE plastic to a recyclable alternative, water use can fall by as much as 26%. Similar gains apply when moving to compostable formats, depending on the materials being replaced.

These aren’t marketing claims plucked from thin air, they’re based on third-party verified data, which matters when brands are increasingly expected to back up their sustainability claims with evidence rather than good intentions.

Cutting plastic use is only part of the story. Because flexible packaging is so much lighter and more compact than rigid formats, it also reduces the number of trucks needed to transport the same volume of product, cutting fuel use and emissions further down the supply chain. Many of our recyclable products also incorporate recycled and biobased content, layering further sustainability benefits on top of the material reduction itself.

Consumers, retailers and regulators are all pushing in the same direction: less plastic, more transparency, and genuine progress rather than greenwashing. Flexible packaging gives brands a practical way to respond to that pressure without sacrificing product protection or shelf presence. A well-designed pouch can still print beautifully, stand up on a shelf, reseal for the consumer, and protect freshness, all while using a fraction of the material a rigid pack would need.

For brands weighing up their next packaging decision, the case for flexible formats is straightforward: less material in, less waste out, and a lower environmental footprint at every stage from production to disposal.

Want to find out more about how Tyler Packaging’s recyclable, compostable and conventional flexible packaging solutions could support your sustainability goals? Get in touch with our team today.