Elopak has published a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) comparing fiber-based cartons with LDPE pouches for laundry detergent refills.
The study, conducted by Anthesis and commissioned by Elopak, focused on environmental impacts in the EU market. It compared the D-PAK
carton to LDPE pouches used as refill packaging.
The results show that fiber cartons outperform pouches across multiple sustainability categories. These include global warming, resource scarcity, and plastic use.
Using D-PAK cartons results in a 24% lower impact on global warming than 1L pouches. For 1.8L pouches, the reduction increases to 28%.
Even when LDPE pouches are made with 50% or 100% recycled material, cartons maintain a strong advantage. In terms of resource scarcity impact, cartons are 33% better than 1L pouches. For larger 1.8L pouches, the benefit rises to 38%.
Plastic usage is also significantly reduced with cartons. D-PAK cartons use 44% less plastic—containing only 9.0g of plastic versus 20.1g in pouches and 76.7g in bottles.
Emilie Olderskog, Senior Director for Sustainability, said, “These findings confirm that fiber cartons are a more sustainable choice for laundry refills.”
She added, “Fiber-based cartons offer similar environmental benefits as food and beverage cartons, providing brands with a responsible packaging option.”
Previous LCAs have shown cartons’ sustainability advantages over bottles for milk and juice. A 2020 meta-analysis found cartons’ carbon footprint was 83g CO2/L, compared to 156g for PET bottles.
Elopak relaunched the D-PAK carton in 2021, helping brands like Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, and Omo adopt more sustainable packaging.
Recent research shows consumers in the UK and Germany favor cartons for household refills. Over 60% are willing to buy fabric softener and detergent in cartons.
With its ‘Repackaging tomorrow’ strategy launched in September 2024, Elopak aims to expand fiber-based packaging into new markets and segments. This shift supports reducing reliance on plastics and advancing sustainable packaging solutions for consumers worldwide.
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