PepsiCo and P&G Join Consortium to Ditch Flexible Plastic Packaging

Two major consumer goods companies, PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble, have joined the PaperFlex Consortium to develop alternatives to non-recyclable flexible plastic packaging. The consortium was formed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and aims to design recyclable and biodegradable materials that can replace multi-layer laminates currently used in products like potato chip bags and sealed pouches.

The problem with flexible packaging is that it accounts for 47% of the total mass of plastic leaked into the environment, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts' study 'Breaking the Plastic Wave'. As You Sow, a shareholder representative, engaged with these companies and filed shareholder proposals in the 2025 proxy season to encourage them to move away from flexible plastic packaging.

The proposals received 15.6% support at PepsiCo and 14% at P&G, prompting Conrad MacKerron, As You Sow Senior Vice President, to say 'It is encouraging to see these two consumer goods giants taking initiative to find alternatives... This is another example of how patient engagement with companies yields results.'

The PaperFlex Consortium will conduct collaborative trials covering innovations in areas such as biodegradable coatings and improvements in how paper-based materials perform on manufacturing lines. With the goal of reducing or eliminating plastic, the consortium estimates that 26 million metric tons of flexible packaging could be avoided globally.