Circularity may be the dream, but without accurate packaging data it’s just a slogan. Governments can set targets and executives can make pledges, yet none of it counts for much unless businesses can see, trust and control their own product and packaging information, report it accurately, and make informed decisions for change.
EPR, PPWR, green claims, plastic taxes… the policy and regulatory pressures are growing every year in relation to packaging and waste. Brands are under mounting pressure to demonstrate verifiable progress on sustainability and meet growing obligations and transparency around packaging, waste and plastic reduction. Added to that, markets, investors and other stakeholders are increasingly looking for proof that sustainability commitments are more than words.
Retailers are setting minimum recycled-content requirements. Major FMCG brands are publicly committing to cutting virgin plastic use, achieving 100% recyclable or reusable packaging, or setting net-zero targets across their value chains. Shopper surveys show that purchase decisions can be impacted by packaging choices too.
In a world where greenwashing scrutiny is intensifying, ESG reporting standards are tightening and regulators can charge penalties for inaccurate or incomplete disclosures, packaging and product data is becoming as critical as financial data.
The pressure to deliver
This data forms the basis for every credible sustainability claim – yet many companies are still struggling to produce reliable, auditable information about their own packaging. Without that foundation, ESG promises are impossible to deliver and compliance becomes guesswork.
The truth is stark: unless businesses can sort their data act out, the circular economy remains an unworkable dream. To have any chance of turning the dream into reality, consumer goods and packaging companies need connected systems that unite product, packaging and material data across the lifecycle.
Only by uniting all their packaging data sources into a single, trusted system can companies transform sustainability pledges and regulatory obligations into a record of verifiable, measurable progress.
Mind the data gap
The push for circularity may be accelerating on all fronts, but every new requirement or pledge generates new data demands. Companies must be able to demonstrate not just intent but evidence – what percentage of packaging is recyclable, what proportion contains post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, where materials are sourced from, whether designs meet evolving recyclability criteria across multiple markets, and so on.
The true complexity of that challenge lies not in policy speeches or regulatory frameworks, but within organisations themselves. Data about packaging composition, suppliers, artwork and specifications is typically scattered across multiple systems and departments, from R&D and procurement to marketing and regulatory. Each department or division may use different file types, naming conventions and data structures. Even within the same building, teams may be working from different, partial versions of the truth.
All this fragmentation makes it nearly impossible to produce an accurate picture of packaging performance or circularity readiness. When regulators demand traceability or sustainability teams need credible metrics, those gaps are suddenly exposed. Data must be reconciled manually, often to tight deadlines, increasing the risk of inconsistencies or errors. That not only slows progress but can introduce compliance risks, or reputational damage if published ESG claims can’t be substantiated.
Without a complete and trusted dataset, businesses can’t make informed design decisions, benchmark progress or identify where improvements are needed.
From data discipline to measurable progress
To demonstrably design circular packaging, companies first need to know exactly what materials are used, how they’re layered, who supplies them and how those details change over time. That level of insight can only come from governed, structured data that’s maintained and shared consistently across the lifecycle.
Once that foundation is in place, however, everything is transformed. Sustainability pledges become measurable actions. A single connected source for product, packaging, artwork and labelling data gives every team and function the same live, holistic view of what’s changing.
With clear ownership, workflows and audit trails, decisions become faster, reporting becomes easier, compliance becomes routine. Sustainability teams can instantly see the impact of a material switch on recyclability or EPR costs. Regulatory teams can generate accurate compliance reports in minutes. Packaging managers can update designs knowing data will flow automatically through to artwork, translations and labelling.
When packaging data is structured, governed and traceable in this way, companies can stand behind their circularity claims with confidence.
Getting the right system in place
The vision is entirely achievable if companies embrace the right software and systems that are designed to connect packaging data effectively across the entire lifecycle.
At present, many are frankly under-equipped for this. They lean on spreadsheets, move data from system to system too manually, and are disappointed by how well their existing ERP systems can support them. As a result, they struggle to maintain any clear and complete visibility of their packaging workflows or underlying realities.
A unified platform built for purpose can bring together packaging specifications, materials, manufacturing information, compliance criteria, artwork and labelling to create a single source of truth and control. It enables compliance management, automated reporting, smoother and faster approvals and genuine collaboration across teams and suppliers.
The result is 360 visibility and robust governance, the essentials for credible, auditable sustainability and measurable circular progress.
Conclusion: No circularity without data
The circular economy can’t be built on regulation and rhetoric alone. It depends on businesses’ ability to measure, manage and prove their progress. That is impossible without accurate, connected packaging data, which in turn requires appropriate systems and platforms to make that data manageable.
When information is complete, structured and shared through fit-for-purpose systems, sustainability goals become achievable realities.
Packaging data when properly managed turns circularity from an unrealistic aspiration into everyday practice.