Sating the appetite for sustainable food to go solutions

Austin Schwarz, trays regional sales director UK&I at Klöckner Pentaplast (kp), explains.

At the recent Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 expo, you could feel and hear the continued evolution of the UK’s food to go market. 

Consumer behaviours, quick service restaurant strategies, and economic pressures are all evolving at the same time, creating heightened demand – and a need for new packaging solutions.

Food to go in the UK is in the midst of a major boom period. Previously published data from the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) predicts that, by 2028, the food to go sector is expected to have grown by nearly 40% compared to 2019 levels. More recent data from Lumina Intelligence has growth of food to go in the UK outpacing the total eating out market and inflation. This illustrates the resilience and dynamism of food to go as a dominant force in the UK’s hospitality sector. 

There are societal changes at play. Covid-19 tailwinds and a return to office based working, coupled with blended working routines, time poor consumers seeking quick, convenient, and nutritious food options and the lifestyle habits of Millennials and Gen Z-ers, who are headed to the gym in record numbers and eating in new ways and locations. All are increasing touchpoints with the food to go brands and the packaging they rely on. 

On the other side of the equation, increased regulatory pressure, and rising consumer expectations that packaging is recyclable, are driving demand for new solutions that minimise environmental impact and move the needle closer toward net zero. 

We were delighted to welcome brands, operators, and other users of food to go packaging onto our stand at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 and share with them the challenges the sector is facing and the solutions needed. 

It was evident at the show that recyclability remains a major talking point for the food to go market. 

The realisation of the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) initiative, reality of modulated fees, and subsequent issuing of invoices, has sharpened minds. Solutions are being sought that are classified as ‘green’ under the Recycling Assessment Methodology (RAM) used to define pEPR fees. 

Packaging materials categorised as ‘green’ are widely recycled within the current UK infrastructure and have a clear, established path for collection, sorting, and reprocessing. 

This makes innovations such as the kp Infinity expanded polypropylene (EPP) solution an important development for foodservice/food to go packaging. A lightweight and fully recyclable material (categorised as green by RAM), kp Infinity enables brands and operators to achieve their sustainability goals at the same time as keeping customers happy and well fed while on the go. 

However, recyclability alone is no longer enough. Sustainability conversations have become more nuanced. There is more focus on the full lifecycle (LCA) of packaging, from the raw materials and their processing, to where packs are manufactured and how far they are transported (cradle to grave). 

As the conversations on our stand during Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 evidenced, transport and provenance are very important to buyers. 

These considerations are compounded by a challenging geopolitical landscape, where wars, tariffs, and supply chain disruptions have become the norm rather than the exception.

Brands and operators need to know they can rely on the consistent supply of high quality food to go packaging. 

For many years, the sector relied on global sourcing: materials were developed centrally, produced where capacity existed, and shipped to UK distribution points. That system worked – until it did not. The Covid-19 crisis exposed the fragility of extended supply chains, with disruptions and soaring freight costs significantly impacting packaging availability.   

The pressure was acute for the foodservice sector. The rush on home delivery orders in 2020 to 2021 resulted in unprecedented spikes in demand that legacy supply chains struggled to support. It became clear that security of supply is just as important as sustainability credentials. Without continuity, no amount of positive messaging makes much difference to the actual customer experience. 

Nearshoring became a buzzword and continues at pace as packaging buyers demand supply chain resilience, reduced costs, and improved logistical efficiency. From responding to sudden spikes in demand and rush orders, to ensuring a secure, short supply chain, having a local source of packaging is now paramount for many. Nobody wants to experience delays caused by shipments travelling from Eastern Europe, or Asia, to the UK. 

It was no surprise to find that at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026, the fact that kp Infinity is fully manufactured in the UK and distributed directly to the food to go market from within its borders, drew strong interest from attendees. 

In today’s world, having a robust supply chain, capable of reliably delivering fully recyclable packaging is the only way forward for the UK’s food to go industry. 

It was impossible to ignore this at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 – and it was echoed repeatedly on our stand. 

Our discussions reinforced both the market’s direction of travel toward domestic manufacturing and our commitment to delivering sustainable packaging solutions.