In today’s world of climate urgency, stricter packaging regulations, and rising consumer expectations, packaging design is no longer a nice-to-have- it’s a critical business tool.

For FMCG brands and packaging design agencies, the stakes are high. Every design choice can either accelerate progress towards sustainability, or lock in waste, emissions, and reputational risk.

Design is a tool for business, people and planet

Design shapes every stage of packaging’s lifecycle: what materials are used, how they’re sourced, how packaging is manufactured, transported, used, and ultimately recovered (or not).

At the heart of circular packaging design are three core principles:

Design out waste and pollution
Keep materials in use for as long as possible
Regenerate natural systems

But good packaging design doesn’t happen in isolation. It requires understanding:

How products flow through recovery systems
How materials behave in real-world conditions
How design decisions impact recyclability, carbon emissions, consumer behaviour, and brand trust

Impact that matters

When applied well, packaging design creates measurable business value and environmental outcomes. At Reimagine the Future of Packaging (AIP Conference, May 2025), I shared how packaging sits at the intersection of circular design, systems thinking, and human-centred design- making it one of the most powerful levers for transformation.

Here are five ways design delivers impact, adapted from the Design Council’s Design Economy: The Environmental and Social Value of Design, through a packaging lens:

Design for better, not just different

Design is everywhere- from the packaging on our shelves to the systems we rely on, to the words brands use to talk about sustainability. Every organisation, whether a global FMCG or an independent design agency, has the opportunity to use design not just for differentiation, but for transformation.

We don’t need more “stuff.” We need better-designed solutions:

Engaging designers earlier in the process
Valuing creativity alongside compliance
Empowering cross-functional teams to ask better questions about materials, formats, and claims

When packaging design is intentional, it becomes a lever for business transformation:

Brands can lead rather than follow.
Designers can move from decoration to direction.
Consumers gain trust in packaging that delivers on its promise.

The Skills for Planet Map by The Design Council

What This Means for You

For FMCG Brands

Future-proof packaging against regulation, retailer demands, and consumer scrutiny.
Strengthen brand trust with credible sustainability claims and compliant design.
Turn goals into action by aligning packaging systems with business and ESG targets.

For Packaging Design Agencies

Embed sustainability into creative processes.
Win new briefs by showing clients you understand design, regulation, and circularity.
Upskill your team with tools, training, and expert guidance that make sustainability practical.

Ready to use design for real impact?

At philo & co, we partner with brands and design agencies to embed circularity, build internal capability, and align creative work with business strategy and environmental goals.

✨ Let’s make packaging that doesn’t just look good, but does good.

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