Lightweighting

Lightweighting is the process of reducing the amount of material used in packaging without compromising its function. It sits at the top of the waste hierarchy under prevention.

Lightweighting benefits:

• Lower EPR fees — fees are calculated per tonne, so lighter packaging costs less
• Reduced material costs — less raw material per unit
• Lower transport emissions — lighter loads reduce fuel consumption
• Less waste generated — supports circular economy goals

Examples include thinner plastic bottles, lighter glass containers, reduced gauge metal cans, and optimised corrugated board profiles. However, lightweighting must be balanced against product protection — packaging that fails to protect the product leads to product waste, which often has a larger environmental footprint than the packaging itself. Producers should document lightweighting achievements in their sustainability reporting and consider how weight reductions affect recyclability (e.g., very thin films may not be sortable at MRFs).