A new report shows, according to Reuters, that major food and packaging companies are committed to cutting plastic use and pushing for regulation.
Global leaders in food and packaging, including Nestlé and PepsiCo, have committed to cutting plastic waste by signing the 2030 Plastics Agenda for Business. This happened despite how U.N. talks in Geneva earlier this year failed to solidify a treaty that would govern plastic production and waste.
The signatories of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Global Commitment represent 20% of global plastic packaging. This has given sustainability advocates hope amid President Donald Trump's dismantling of federal policies that could protect people and our planet.
In the wake of the failed U.N. talks in August, positive news on plastics is especially exciting. The impact of plastics ranges from microplastics in our food to plastic's entanglement and potential death of many animals. New regulations and action to reduce plastic use can reduce that harm.
Kelly Cooper, a sustainability consultant and co-author of a Harvard study on the impacts of politics on corporate sustainability, told Reuters, "It is certainly encouraging to see multinationals publicly recommit on plastics, but credibility now hinges on evidence, not new promises."
Fortunately, the evidence is promising.
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Reuters reported that these signatories' use of recycled content in their products has tripled between 2018 and 2024. This suggests that these commitments are more than just empty promises or greenwashing.
Impacts could extend beyond the reduction in plastic use or increase in recycled plastic content in the companies involved, though.
The executive lead for plastics at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Rob Opsomer, told Reuters that the collaborative action encouraged by this agreement can drive global progress. It shows policymakers that solutions are available and that the will to enact change is there.
"It's sometimes a bit of a chicken or egg situation," Opsomer said. "A policymaker needs to have confidence that they're not regulating on a pipe dream."
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