Green Packaging as a Positive Catalyst for Green Environment: Implementation in Emerging Markets around the Globe

Abstract

The fundamental definition of packaging is anything that prevents outer elements from penetrating the product and the product from leaving the packaging. Packing consists of wrapping a product to protect it from physical risks and delivering it to the customer without compromising its durability. An emerging issue across the globe today is environmental pollution, which influences mass product packaging for a variety of reasons, one of which is the rapid growth of the population, which stimulates the demand for products; as a result, companies develop products to meet these needs, which ultimately leads to the packaging of products for protection, handling, delivery, and preservation. Thus, high population expansion leads to massive consumption, which has detrimental environmental effects. As a consequence of these factors, packing contributes to soil contamination, environmental waste, an increase in carbon emissions, and the use of a vast array of other resources. Cumulatively, packaging has become a significant source of environmental footprints and damage to environmental sustainability. Businesses that are environmentally conscious and concerned with future generations and the environment are using flexible and long-lasting methods to meet the growing need for green packaging. Reducing carbon footprints, waste, pollution, energy consumption, cost savings, promoting CSR (corporate social responsibility), eco-friendly packaging, and increasing customer pleasure are the primary objectives of these businesses. There are very few companies that are adopting the 4 Rs (remove, reduce, reuse, and recycle) as a key facilitator of the current recycling strategy, with fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) corporations leading the way.