Packaging in Australia is going through a genuine shift, not a marketing trend. Regulatory targets, customer expectation and freight economics are pushing in the same direction at the same time, away from single-use plastic defaults and toward materials chosen for their whole lifecycle, not just their price on a quote. This page covers what that shift actually looks like across industries in Australia, and where Carewell Group fits in it.
What is actually changing
- Regulation. The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation’s 2025 National Packaging Targets call for 100% of packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable, 70% of plastic packaging recycled or composted, an average 50% recycled content, and the phase-out of problematic and unnecessary single-use plastics.
- Verification, not vague claims. The Australasian Recycling Label (ARL), verified through APCO’s PREP (Packaging Recyclability Evaluation Portal), is replacing generic “green” claims with a labelling standard that actually tells a customer what to do with each part of the pack.
- Producer responsibility. An Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model is shifting more of the accountability for packaging’s end-of-life outcome onto the business that puts it on the market, not just councils and recyclers.
- Materials science, not just substitution. The shift is not simply “plastic bad, paper good.” It is about matching the material to the job, fibre-based options where they perform, recyclable or recycled-content plastics where a barrier or clarity is genuinely required, and specifying thickness and layers to the product rather than a generic default.
Where this shows up across industries
| Industry | What is changing |
|---|---|
| Ecommerce and retail | Plastic satchels replaced by kraft mailers where the product allows it; bubble wrap replaced by paper-based and honeycomb protective packaging; plastic tape replaced by water activated tape. |
| Food and beverage | Plastic trays and containers giving way to CPET, APET and fibre-based alternatives such as sugarcane bagasse, verified for food contact. |
| Health and beauty | Recycled-content bottles and jars, paper-based protective packaging shaped to the product, and accurate ARL labelling replacing generic sustainability claims. |
| Logistics and 3PL | Format standardisation and right-sizing across a whole operation’s parcel range, reducing material use and dimensional-weight freight cost together. |
Why this is a genuine shift, not a trend
Trends fade when the cost argument runs out. This one does not, because the economics point the same way as the regulation: right-sizing packaging reduces freight cost as reliably as it reduces material use, and paper tape avoids the rework and contamination that comes from plastic tape left on cardboard at a recycling facility. Businesses adopting these changes are not absorbing a cost for the sake of a claim; in most cases the packaging change pays for itself.
How Carewell Group fits into this shift
Carewell Group is an Australian packaging manufacturer and supplier, certified to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018, and a member of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation. Rather than offering one eco-friendly product as a token option, Carewell builds the sustainable version of each core packaging category, tape, mailers, cartons, food trays, protective packaging, so a business can switch its whole range from one supplier rather than sourcing eco-friendly options piecemeal. See the practical, order-by-order version of this in the eco-friendly packaging checklist for ecommerce.
Carewell can meet all your packaging needs for your business. Talk to our expert and we will work to your required MOQ. Call +61 (02) 8760 1491 or request samples and a packaging review. See also why Carewell leads on eco packaging for the credentials behind this.
Frequently asked questions
Is eco-friendly packaging a real shift or a trend?
A genuine shift, driven by APCO’s 2025 targets, an Extended Producer Responsibility model, and an economic case (right-sizing and paper tape both reduce cost) that does not depend on the trend continuing.
Which industries are changing packaging fastest in Australia?
Ecommerce and retail, food and beverage, health and beauty, and logistics and 3PL are all moving in parallel, each for slightly different reasons (unboxing, food safety, regulation, freight cost).
Is Carewell just adding one eco-friendly product to its range?
No. Carewell offers a sustainable option across every core category it supplies, tape, mailers, cartons, food packaging and protective packaging, so a business can switch its whole range rather than one product at a time from different suppliers.
Sources
- Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, 2025 National Packaging Targets: apco.org.au
- Australasian Recycling Label and PREP: apco.org.au
Written by Alif Vasaya, digital and content strategy, Carewell Group. Carewell Group is an Australian packaging, food packaging, tape, industrial safety and 3PL supplier serving all of Australia. Last updated 17 September 2026.