Sri Lanka's next big green industry

SUSTAINABLE food packaging is no longer about simply replacing plastic with paper. The real test lies in creating systems that deliver food safety, preserve shelf life, and meet consumer convenience, all while being environmentally responsible. What matters now is how packaging performs across its entire lifecycle: from raw material sourcing and production to disposal and reuse. That's where real impact begins.

- By Dr. Ali Ahlam Nawaz

Eco-conscious travellers look for destinations that practise what they preach, and packaging, often overlooked, can reinforce Sri Lanka's positioning as a responsible, ethical destination.

Sri Lanka is at a critical juncture. With food, agriculture, and tourism reorienting towards export-led growth, sustainability has shifted from being a “nice-to-have” to a decisive competitive advantage. International buyers are increasingly favouring partners who can demonstrate environmental accountability across their supply chains, and packaging has become a central component of that assessment. For Sri Lanka, embedding sustainable packaging practices today is about building a national brand around ethical and responsible production. This is an opening for the country to lead rather than follow.

Global lessons, local opportunities