Featured contributors:
- Nicola Guest, Group Marketing Manager, Waste Mission
- Nigel Adams, Head of Sales, GEA Food Solutions UK & Ireland
- Nigel Paine, VP Production Planning, Carlsberg Britvic UK
- Caroline Root, Area Sales Manager, Berry Global
- Graham Rodger, Key Account Manager, Allpack Packaging
Insights taken from The UK Food & Drink Shows 2025.
Sustainability is Shaping Every Conversation
If there was one topic that crossed every area of Foodex 2025, it was sustainability.
Whether the discussion centred on waste management, manufacturing efficiency, energy consumption or packaging innovation, sustainability has become central to strategic decision-making across the food industry.
Nicola Guest, Group Marketing Manager at Waste Mission, saw this first-hand during the event.
"Sustainability is a really big message across the whole supply chain. It's something that's not going away." - Nicola Guest, Waste Mission
Manufacturers Face Growing Expectations
Business leaders are under increasing pressure from customers, regulators and consumers to improve their environmental performance.
Nigel Adams of GEA Food Solutions highlighted several key priorities currently influencing food manufacturers.
"What we're seeing in 2025 is very much a push towards sustainability, energy efficiency and automation." - Nigel Adams, GEA Food Solutions UK & Ireland
These priorities are driving investment decisions and reshaping production strategies.
Sustainability and Profitability Can Go Hand In Hand
Contrary to popular belief, sustainability doesn't always come at a cost.
Nigel Paine from Carlsberg Britvic argues that reducing waste and energy consumption often improves profitability too.
"Sustainability doesn't have to always come at a cost. If you reduce the amount of material and energy you're using, automatically you become more resilient and can get more profits." - Nigel Paine, Carlsberg Britvic UK
The company has invested heavily in energy management and renewable power, including the use of solar energy to support operations.
Packaging Innovation is Accelerating
Packaging sustainability was another major discussion point.
Caroline Root from Berry Global highlighted growing demand for packaging formats that help businesses reduce waste.
"People are wanting to move away from multiple layers of packaging into one solution." - Caroline Root, Berry Global
Meanwhile, Graham Rodger from Allpack noted significant interest in paper-based packaging alternatives.
"The sustainable, paper packaging, recyclable and biodegradable packaging is here." - Graham Rodger, Allpack Packaging
A Permanent Business Priority
Sustainability has evolved from a compliance exercise into a commercial necessity.
From reducing food waste to improving energy efficiency and developing next-generation packaging, businesses that embrace sustainability are positioning themselves for long-term success in an increasingly demanding marketplace.
Insights taken from The UK Food & Drink Shows 2025.
