India-Finland Collaboration poised to set global benchmarks in sustainable packaging practices: Envoy

India’s plastic packaging sector, which accounts for a staggering 73% of the country’s total plastic usage, is at a crossroads. With the market projected to reach $12.72 billion in 2025, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 11%, the need for sustainable and recyclable solutions has never been more urgent. Flexible packaging dominates key segments, including 93% of food products, 84% of personal care items, and 98% of homecare products. Yet, experts flag the sector struggles with recycling multilayered, non-recyclable materials. Budget with ET India's aviation sector has wings, but airlines can't fly high Change the game of trade as Trump returns to US throne Income tax payers' wishlist: More benefits in new tax regime, higher HRA & more Against this backdrop, Huhtamaki India , a leading provider of primary consumer packaging and decorative labelling solutions, and part of Huhtamaki Oyj, a Finland based global food packaging company, recently hosted the 2nd edition of Think Circle at the Embassy of Finland in New Delhi. The event saw the unveiling of the ‘Design for recyclability guidelines for films & flexible packaging’ which the organisers stated promises to redefine the flexible packaging landscape. The second edition of Think Circle—a collaborative platform by Huhtamaki India and the Embassy of Finland—provided a forum to discuss these groundbreaking guidelines. Developed under the Confederation of Indian Industry ’s (CII) India Plastics Pact (IPP), these guidelines aim to streamline materials, reduce waste, and enhance circularity in flexible packaging. Talking to ET Digital, the Finnish ambassador, Kimmo Lähdevirta, emphasised Finland’s leadership in the circular economy , highlighting strengths in sustainable design, use, and recycling of materials. “Finland and India both value sustainability, and this platform offers an opportunity to unite our strengths to address packaging-related challenges through shared expertise. Partnering with Indian stakeholders allows us to combine Finnish expertise with India’s dynamic innovation ecosystem to set global benchmarks for sustainable solutions,” he said. 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Elaborating on India’s potential in promoting flexible packaging, he added, “India represents 1/6 of the world population. It’s now the fifth largest economy, and I think it’s going to be the third largest so it’s obvious that India plays a crucial part if we want to achieve the targets we are focussing on globally. So I think it’s essential that we combine forces here.” Dhananjay Salunkhe, Managing Director at Huhtamaki India , emphasized the critical need for India to address plastic waste management challenges and redefine its packaging practices. “The guidelines we’ve developed are a crucial step toward fostering a circular economy by ensuring flexible packaging is designed for recyclability,” he said. He highlighted India’s strong foundation in circularity and the potential for product innovation through ecosystem collaboration. “Flexible packaging plays a significant role in India, accounting for 70% of all packaging. However, its per capita consumption remains lower compared to developed countries, reflecting untapped potential. By observing market trends and challenges in circular packaging, we can share best practices and create sustainable solutions that align with global standards,” Salunkhe added. He further underlined three key areas for growth: fostering partnerships at the ecosystem level, enabling cross-sector collaboration, and aligning with regulatory frameworks. “There is tremendous scope for improvement in these areas, and working collectively will unlock opportunities to build a more sustainable future,” he added. Shikhar Jain, Executive Director of CESD at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), highlighted the huge potential of India’s flexible packaging market, driven by rapid growth in sectors like food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and e-commerce. However, he stressed the need for this growth to be both sustainable and economically viable. To address these challenges, CII has introduced the India Plastic Pact, a collaborative initiative uniting brands, recyclers, and converters from across the plastic value chain. “The pact focuses on understanding and solving issues related to plastic waste management. We have developed guidelines specifically for flexible packaging to tackle concerns such as material availability and recyclability,” he explained. Jain further emphasized the importance of international collaboration in achieving circularity, citing Finland as a key partner due to its advanced circular economy policies. “The Indian government recognizes circularity as a major driver of sustainability. Countries like Finland, where circular economy principles are integrated into national policies, can play a crucial role in supporting India’s transition,” he said. He added that such partnerships offer a dual benefit: they allow Finnish companies to bring their expertise to the Indian market while also creating globally relevant solutions.