UK festival-goers call for plastic-free packaging

More than three quarters of UK consumers believe festivals should use plastic-free food packaging, according to new research highlighting growing concern over the volume of single-use waste generated by large public events.

The study, commissioned by materials innovation company Xampla, found that 76% of respondents believe festivals should only use plastic-free food packaging. An even larger proportion, 80%, said food packaging in general should be free from plastic wherever possible.

Festival season generates millions of disposable packs

The findings come alongside estimates that more than 105 million single-use packaging items are discarded during a typical UK festival season, including takeaway containers, coffee cups and plastic bottles.

Together, this volume of packaging would be sufficient to fill more than 500 double-decker buses. The average festival attendee is also estimated to generate around 2 kg of waste per day, almost twice the amount of household waste produced per person.

Hidden plastic remains a challenge

Following restrictions introduced in the UK on selected single-use plastic foodservice products, paper and board formats have become increasingly common at festivals and outdoor events. However, many seemingly fibre-based containers still incorporate thin plastic coatings to provide resistance against grease and moisture.

These coatings can complicate recycling and may prevent otherwise paper-based packaging from being processed through conventional fibre recycling streams. As a result, some containers can ultimately be sent for incineration or landfill despite appearing to consumers as a more sustainable alternative.

New coatings target plastic-free foodservice packaging

Material developers are responding by creating barrier technologies that provide the required performance without conventional polymer linings. Xampla is promoting its Morro Coating as one example, using natural plant-derived polymers to provide grease and moisture resistance on paper and board.

The material is designed to replace traditional plastic barriers while allowing the finished packaging to remain recyclable and biodegradable. The technology has already been introduced in food-to-go applications through partnerships with packaging manufacturers and delivery platforms.

Events provide a testing ground for new materials

Festivals represent a particularly demanding environment for foodservice packaging. Containers must withstand hot, oily or moist foods while being distributed and discarded at high volumes within relatively short periods.

This makes large events a useful testing ground for materials intended to reduce single-use plastic. At the same time, waste streams at festivals can be difficult to control, increasing the importance of packaging formats that are compatible with straightforward collection and disposal systems.

Consumer expectations increase pressure on organisers

The research suggests that attendees increasingly expect event organisers and food vendors to take greater responsibility for packaging waste. Sustainability measures are therefore becoming part of the wider festival experience rather than remaining limited to operational decisions behind the scenes.

For packaging suppliers, this could create opportunities for paper-based, reusable and genuinely plastic-free foodservice solutions capable of delivering the performance required by high-volume events.

Plastic-free claims require clearer material choices

The findings also highlight the importance of transparency around packaging materials. Consumers may assume that paper-based food containers are automatically plastic-free, even when conventional polymer coatings remain embedded within the structure.

As demand for plastic-free packaging increases, event organisers and brands will therefore need to consider not only the visible substrate but also coatings, barriers and other components that determine the package’s true material composition and end-of-life options.