Eco-Friendly Food Packaging: A Guide for UK Food Businesses

Customers increasingly expect greener packaging, and UK regulation is pushing the same way. But terms like "compostable", "biodegradable" and "recyclable" are often confused. Here's a plain-English guide for food businesses.

Compostable vs biodegradable vs recyclable

Recyclable means it can be reprocessed if collected correctly (e.g. clean kraft, aluminium foil). Compostable means it breaks down into non-toxic matter under the right conditions — look for the EN 13432 standard. Biodegradable alone is vague and unregulated, so it's the weakest claim.

Common eco materials

• Bagasse — moulded sugarcane fibre; sturdy, grease- and heat-resistant, and compostable. Great for hot food. See our bagasse boxes.
• Kraft board — recyclable and widely accepted; ideal for bags, wraps and box lids.
• PLA-lined cups — plant-based lining instead of plastic; check your local composting availability.

Avoid greenwashing

Only make claims you can back up. If a product is compostable only in an industrial facility, say so. Clear, honest labelling builds more trust than a vague "eco" sticker.

Make the switch

Explore our compostable ranges and wider packaging catalogue to find greener options that still perform on the line.