1. The circular economy, the driving force behind eco-design

In 1994, packaging was the first sector to see eco-design become a mandatory practice under European law and Directive 94/62/EC. This practice has since evolved considerably, with the emergence of Life Cycle Analyses and the circular economy.

As public awareness of these issues grows, so do industrial practices. In 2015, the recyclability of opaque PET bottles became a news item. For the first time, the eco-design of packaging was given national prominence. A few years later, the ever-growing number of advocates of an alternative consumption model questioned the very value of recyclability. Recyclable packaging thrown into nature will do just as much damage as packaging that isn't recyclable. Recycling is even sometimes seen as a hindrance to the development of reuse, even though reused packaging will one day have to be recycled.

It is against...