Welcome to the hall of environmental packaging excellence!

Discover the innovative and sustainable solutions that reshaped the industry at the Environmental Packaging Awards 2023. From recycled materials to compostable packaging, these winners have set new benchmarks for sustainability.

Environmental Champion Award - Winner: Jane Bevis

Jane Bevis, the founding director of the On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL), won the Environmental Champion Award at the inaugural Environmental Packaging Awards. Judges were impressed by the fact that Bevis drove the organisation to what it is today – a 770-member, £1.3m business, who’s labelling is now used by 94 of the top 100 grocery brands.

One judge said: “Jane and her team have played a pivotal role in championing the labelling of packaging which in turn has focused the minds of many businesses to make packaging more sustainable.”

Soft Drinks - Winner: Coca-Cola Europacific Partners – Attached caps on plastic bottles

Coca-Cola’s new attached caps design entry won the award for enabling more recycling.
The bottle’s cap stays connected to the bottle after opening, so the whole plastic bottle and attached cap can be recycled together, reducing the potential for it to be littered.Making this change required innovation and investment across its GB operations.

A Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) spokesperson said: "We are all on a journey. At Coca-Cola, we are aiming to hit our Net Zero target by 2040. It’s ambitious; there's a huge amount that still needs to be done, but picking up these awards and being one of the projects that make that difference is what everybody in the industry is in the game for."

Sustainable Retailer of the Year - Winner: Tesco

The supermarket giant saw off strong competition to win the Sustainable Retailer of the Year award.

The company has set itself some ambitious targets including carbon neutrality across its operations by 2035. In partnership with WWF, Tesco commissioned a report examining the UK’s Global Packaging Footprint.

This data and science-based insight improved its understanding of the environmental impacts of glass, steel, aluminium, paper and plastics. Remarked one judge: “Tesco have been leading in this area and have been good guidance to others.”

A Tesco spokesperson said: “Sustainability is growing, and winning this award is fantastic. It's important to us as a business and our customers.”

Online Retail - Winner: Bridge Media Group and Sega Europe - Football Manager 2023 Plastic-Free Packs

Bridge Media produced a pack that was robust and was as environmentally friendly.

The material used is a double thickness folding box board, made from 100% recycled fibres, The ink is vegetable based and the varnish is water based. The pack can be put into standard recycling bins.

One judge remarked: “In a sector where the packaging is usually all about marketing this has been designed with recycling in mind. Recycling disruptors are minimised. Good and maximum use of recycled content. Looks good and well thought out.”

A spokesperson for Bridge Media Group said: “A few years ago, environmental packaging and the environment in general weren’t at the forefront of what everyone wanted to do, and now it’s been celebrated, so it’s great to have awards like this to push into the public eye more and recognise that we are pioneering.”

Sustainable Brand of the Year - Winner: Hana Group & Our Strategic Partners

Pan Asian food brand Hana Group won the Sustainable Brand of the Year award through its net zero focus and its work with its suppliers Tri-Star, Sharpak and preventative ocean plastics (POP) specialist Bantum. Its winning entry included Desipack Sushi - packaging made from mono recycled PET.

It was designed to give full transparency to the sushi within, and the pack included a patented one click closure giving an easy to use and secure pack for the chef and consumer.

“Evidence of some interesting initiatives on Hana's journey to net zero, also engaging employees to make a difference,” said one judge. “Fantastic collaborative project that is making a difference with a solid solution to a problem.”