The need to package food, consumer and industrial products in a more sustainable and affordable way dominates the worldwide packaging industry, according to DuPont’s global survey of consumer packaged goods companies and packaging converters.

More than 500 packaging professionals were surveyed and over 40% cited sustainability as the toughest challenge while 33% named cost as a major factor.

“Sustainable, cost-effective solutions that reduce packaging’s environmental footprint are a top goal across geographies,” said William J. Harvey, president, DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers. “This is especially true in the food and beverage industry, where consumer demand for products supporting health and wellness goes hand-in-hand with a demand for more sustainable solutions.”

Meeting sustainability challenges requires multiple strategies, according to survey results. Of those respondents working on sustainable packaging, 65% say their efforts are focused on design for recyclability or use of recycled content; 57% are focused on weight reduction; 41% rely on renewable or bio-based materials and 25% say they are focused on compostable materials.

“These survey results confirm that there are many pathways to improving packaging sustainability,” said Harvey. “It starts with close collaboration throughout the value chain to spark innovation.”