Evaluating the Sustainability of Tetra Pak Smart Packaging Through Life Cycle and Economic Analysis

Tetra Pak packaging represents a significant advancement in the field of packaging. However, in recent decades, the emerging needs of modern consumers for high-quality foods with extended shelf life, along with the increasing concerns about food waste, have made conventional packaging inadequate. In response, packaging technologies are evolving towards smart packaging, which includes active and intelligent packaging. This innovative solution can extend products’ shelf life and contribute to the decrease in food waste, providing higher environmental and economic sustainability compared to conventional TetraPak packaging. The objective of this work is the life cycle assessment (LCA) and economic analysis of an innovative smart packaging system, which consists of an antioxidant layer (active packaging) and a chemical sensor to detect food spoilage (intelligent packaging). This study examines the potential of integrating active and intelligent components into packaging to enhance environmental performance relative to conventional Tetra Pak packaging, while also assessing the associated economic trade-offs of smart packaging adoption. The environmental footprint of the production, use and end of life of the packaging and the contained food products are examined through four use scenarios (baseline, best-case, average-case, and worst-case), considering that the application of smart packaging leads to the prevention of food waste at different rates. LCA demonstrated that the environmental performance of smart packaging is 29.17% lower in the climate change category in the average-case scenario. The economic analysis showed that smart packaging increases costs by EUR 9.28 × 10−2, demonstrating a significant benefit with only a minimal cost increase. Therefore, the findings of this study can provide new perspectives in the rapidly evolving field of food packaging, promoting smart packaging as a viable solution for reducing food waste and improving sustainability.