Barilla Group is reinforcing its environmental strategy by pairing more circular packaging design with a stronger focus on responsible water management, two areas that are becoming increasingly critical for the food and packaging industries. Announced around Global Recycling Day and World Water Day, the company’s latest update shows how sustainability targets are being translated into measurable action across its operations, from packaging materials to water recovery systems inside its production plants.

One of the most notable signals is Barilla’s progress in packaging circularity. The company says that 99.8% of the packaging it sells is designed to be recyclable, a figure that highlights the extent to which recyclability has become embedded in product development. Globally, more than 50% of the materials used in the Group’s packaging are recycled, while 71% of total packaging is paper- or cardboard-based. For the packaging sector, this is significant because it reflects a continued shift away from fossil-based inputs and toward structures that fit more easily into existing recycling streams.

Barilla’s packaging approach is guided by its long-standing Sustainable Packaging Principles, introduced in 1997 and updated over time to reflect evolving regulatory, technical and environmental expectations. Beyond recyclability, the company is also working on source reduction, with a target to eliminate around 4,000 tonnes of packaging material by 2030 through redesign projects. This shows that the strategy is not limited to changing materials, but also includes lightweighting and structural optimisation, both of which are increasingly central to packaging sustainability.

A flagship example is Barilla Pasta’s well-known Blue Box, which uses virgin fibre cardboard sourced from sustainably managed forests. The pack also incorporates low-odour inks, helping improve compatibility with paper recycling systems. In practical terms, the project demonstrates how brand identity, product protection and recyclability can be combined without compromising food safety or shelf appeal. It is a useful case study for converters and brand owners seeking to balance performance with end-of-life considerations.

At the same time, Barilla is connecting packaging sustainability with broader resource efficiency goals, especially around water. Water remains a strategic resource for food manufacturing, and the company has increased the amount of water recycled and reused by 45% in 2024 compared with 2022. In water-stressed areas, that increase reached 164%, underlining the importance of adapting operations to regional environmental pressures. The company’s environmental management system, aligned with ISO 14001, and its use of life cycle assessment tools show a more integrated approach in which packaging, production and resource use are treated as part of the same sustainability framework.

The Rubbiano plant in Parma, dedicated to sauces and pesto, stands out as a key example. Upgrades to wastewater treatment have enabled the recovery of more than 62,000 cubic metres of water between 2022 and 2024. Barilla now plans to invest more than €5 million in the site under its broader Energy & Water Plan, part of a €168 million programme launched in 2024. The long-term goal is to increase the recycled water index by 250% in the most water-stressed areas by 2030, compared with 2022 levels.

Barilla’s latest progress shows that the future of sustainable packaging is increasingly tied to wider resource strategies, where recyclability, material reduction and responsible water use are developed together rather than in isolation.

For the packaging industry, the message is clear. Sustainability is no longer measured only by whether a pack can be recycled, but by how effectively companies manage the full system around it. By linking circular packaging with operational water efficiency, Barilla is presenting a broader model of environmental performance that is likely to become more common as regulation tightens and brands look for deeper, data-backed sustainability gains.