Six FMCG groups form consortium to develop paper-based flexible packaging

Colgate-Palmolive, Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble and Unilever have become founding members of the PaperFlex Consortium, convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and (RE)SET, to jointly fund and trial paper-based alternatives to flexible plastic packaging such as sachets, wrappers and pouches. The consortium targets markets where flexible plastic use is high but collection and recycling infrastructure is limited, and remains open to further brand owners, innovators, suppliers and investors. Each member will continue to make its own packaging decisions independently.

Why this mattersA joint R&D push by six of the largest packaging buyers could accelerate paper-based substitutes for flexible plastic, reshaping demand for converters and material suppliers.

• Colgate-Palmolive, Mars, Nestle, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble and Unilever are founding members of the PaperFlex Consortium.
• The consortium is convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and powered by (RE)SET.
• Work will cover technologies including biodegradable coatings to improve product protection, shelf life and manufacturing-line performance of paper-based materials.
• The initiative follows an Ellen MacArthur Foundation report published earlier in 2026, endorsed by 48 businesses, NGOs, investors and academics, setting six design criteria for paper-based alternatives.
• Flexible plastic packaging, including sachets, wrappers and pouches, is described by the Foundation as the fastest-growing type of plastic packaging globally.
• The consortium remains open to additional FMCG companies, innovators, suppliers and investors.
• The Ellen MacArthur Foundation says responsible paper-based flexible packaging does not yet exist at required performance, scale and cost.
• Research priorities include coatings, product protection, shelf life, consumer usability and manufacturing-line performance.
• The consortium targets flexible packaging formats sized A5 or smaller, including sachets, wrappers and pouches, in markets such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines that lack formal plastic collection systems.
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation said it has invited further companies to join the consortium.
• A separate EU flagship project, BIOWRAP, targets replacing over 100 million square metres of plastic bubble wrap within five years of the project ending, aiming for a 90% paper recycling material recovery rate
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation states commercially viable paper-based replacements do not yet exist at the performance, scale and cost required across all applications
• Unilever has doubled its packaging R&D spending and built a team of more than 60 material scientists focused on paper and barrier coatings.
• Unilever cites its 2024 UK launch of a grease-resistant paper-based Knorr stock cube wrapper as a reference case for the consortium's work.
• The Ellen MacArthur Foundation's 2030 Plastics Agenda for Business names small-format flexible plastic packaging as one of three key systemic barriers to tackling plastic waste.
• Coverage specifies the consortium targets small-format flexible plastic packaging such as sachets and pouches
• The Ellen MacArthur Foundation said no responsible paper-based flexible packaging solutions yet exist at the required performance, scale and cost.