Pro Carton Unveils 2025 Carbon Footprint Study Showing Significant Progress in Emission Reductions

Pro Carton, the European association of cartonboard and carton manufacturers, today announced the release of its 2025 Carbon Footprint Study, offering independently verified and transparent data on the climate impact of cartonboard packaging across Europe.

As sustainability claims face growing scrutiny, this rigorous new study establishes a credible benchmark for brand owners, retailers and policymakers seeking reliable environmental performance data for packaging solutions.

Key Findings:

• The study demonstrates an 8% reduction in fossil carbon emissions across the European carton packaging sector from 2021 to 2024, using a cradle-to-gate assessment that covers raw material extraction, cartonboard production and converting to ready-to-fill folding cartons.

• Data for the 2025 study was collected from 70 production sites throughout Europe, representing approximately 60% of European cartonboard production and 16% of folding carton converting. All calculations were conducted by the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) and independently verified by ifu – Institute for Energy and Environmental Research in Heidelberg.

• The reduction reflects long-term structural improvements and sustained industry investment in decarbonisation, rather than short-term offsets or compensatory measures.

• Breakdown of emission sources reveals that around 73% of fossil carbon emissions arise during cartonboard production, 21% from converting into folding cartons and the remaining 6% from transport — providing critical insights to guide future reduction efforts.

“A Robust Benchmark for Sustainability Decision-Making”

The 2025 Carbon Footprint Study follows recognised European standards, including the CEPI Framework for Carbon Footprints of paper and board products and the CITPA Guidelines for paper-based packaging, ensuring consistency and transparency across the industry.

By setting a reliable and independently verified baseline, Pro Carton continues to champion environmental transparency and offers businesses the data they need to make informed decisions in their transition toward more sustainable packaging.