Flexible packaging solutions

Category

Sustainability 

Description

We are seeking innovative flexible packaging solutions that meet Sanofi's environmental challenges, including circularity and improved environmental footprint whilst creating business value and meeting consumer needs.

Background

Flexible packaging refers to packaging materials that are made from thin and flexible materials, such as plastic films, aluminum foils, or paper. They are very often used for single-use products like sachet or stickpack and have some strong technical advantage that would need to be maintained: high protection for the product (to water ingression, light and oxidation mainly), light weight and reduced carbon footprint, on-the go enabler, possibility to include Child resistant and senior friendly features.

On the other end, they are not easily recyclable. Thus, the impacts of this waste, especially plastic, on the environment and our health are global and must be minimized.

Key Success Criteria

Must-have requirements

Should be recyclable (can be collected, sorted, and reprocessed in practice and at scale)

Made from monomaterials (e.g. avoid the combination of aluminum and plastic)

Better LCA than for conventional solutions

Meet requirements to protect in packaging (e.g. barrier properties)

Food-grade

Preferred Requirements

Made from Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) material.

Cost-effective

Sourced from renewable resources

Biodegradability if not disrupting recycling streams

E-commerce friendly (could be shipped in envelope format)

Child-resistant / senior friendly

Target Group

N/A

Approaches not of interest

Any flexible packaging made of PE/Aluminum, PE/PET, PP, EVOH (>5% by weight) and using mineral oils (MOSH, MOAH), non-washable inks, dark/metallic colors, or labels other than PE (including paper).