Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain

Making safe food available everywhere, while reducing emissions 

Climate change is affecting our weather systems, our ecosystems, our food systems and how we, as humans, see our role in all of these. While mitigating climate change requires a multi-faceted approach, the UN says that far more ambitious plans are needed around curbing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

As part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global companies are challenged to not only measure and control the emissions from their own factories but also to control the impact of their products across the value chain. For paper-based food packaging like Tetra Pak cartons, that means from sourcing and manufacturing, all the way through to distribution, recycling and end-of-life.

That's why in 2020, we announced our commitment to reach net-zero GHG emissions in our own operations by 2030, and our ambition is to reach net-zero GHG emissions across the entire value chain by 2050. This is inspired by and in line with the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), which says that limiting global warming to 1.5°C as opposed to 2°C is needed to reduce challenging impacts on ecosystems, human health and well-being[1].​

Searching for innovative, transport-efficient solutions

Invented in the 1960s, our aseptic carton package has been called one of the most important food innovations of the 20th century by the Institute of Food Technologists. That's because the package made it possible to transport nutritious beverages like milk to all areas of the world – without the need for energy-intensive cold-chain distribution. Avoiding a cold chain can avert some carbon emissions. So can the use of lightweight materials. Our carton packages' lightweight paper-based structure delivers high transport efficiency compared to metal and glass packs, saving fuel during transport[2].

The shape of carton packaging is also transport efficient. When round jars or bottles are packed for transport, there are gaps between each unit. Our square and rectangular packages can lay flat against one another, making maximum use of the space in the truck. That means fewer trucks are needed to transport our cartons than round jars or bottles[3].

Still, the challenge over the years has been to transport and protect healthy products more efficiently. That's why we're committed to driving innovation in energy-efficient processing and packaging solutions as we work towards our goal of net-zero GHG emissions[4].​

[1] Ipcc.ch, Summary for Policymakers of IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C approved by governments

[2] Tetra Pak, Sustainability: Good Choice

[3] Tetra Pak, ECA LCA 2020: Summary

[4] Tetra Pak, Planet Positive Media QA Final​