Integrating plastic packaging in a circular economy Application within food and beverage FMCG companies in Belgium

For several years now, environmental concerns and scandals are calling into question the way of producing and consuming plastics, due to the linearity of their life cycle: produce, use and dispose. In the plastics sector, the harmful effects on land and oceans have made these polymers the public enemy number one. Plastic packaging is still too much considered as waste and not as a valuable resource to be reused. The need to rethink this industry is necessary to ensure a sustainable future. This thesis analyses how to integrate plastic packaging into a circular economy, where nothing is lost, and everything is reused. The analysis is conducted on FMCG companies active in the food and beverage sector. This circular transition cannot be seen on a standalone basis, it is necessary to integrate it in a systemic approach. The qualitative research and the analysis carried out, after the literature review, allow formulating managerial recommendations to ensure a transition towards the circularity of plastic packaging. In this circular economy, the ecodesign of products should be adopted by all companies. Companies should reduce the quantity of plastics used, manufacture recyclable products (preferably with mono-materials), reuse plastics, educate the consumers and ensure qualitative recycling allowing to utilize the recyclates. Much research and development is still needed to analyse alternatives for traditional plastics and mechanical recycling and to adopt laws and guidelines to accelerate innovation. In addition, a collaboration between the different players in the plastics value chain is essential to ensure a gradual and sustainable transition.