U.S. Ends Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion Program

The U.S. government has terminated the Paper and Paper-Based Packaging Promotion, Research and Information Program, bringing an end to a national initiative that supported marketing and research for paper packaging products. The decision was confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on March 9, 2026.

The program was administered through the Paper and Packaging Board, which coordinated industry-funded promotion and consumer education efforts for paper and paper-based packaging across the United States. The initiative was financed through a check-off system in which participating companies contributed funds to support marketing campaigns, sustainability messaging, and industry research.

One of the most visible initiatives under the program was the “How Life Unfolds®” campaign, launched in 2015 to highlight the functional and emotional value of paper and paper packaging in everyday life. The campaign focused on promoting paper’s role in communication, learning, packaging, and sustainability messaging to consumers and businesses.

According to the USDA, the program’s termination follows a referendum in which industry support fell short of the level required to continue the check-off program and its associated assessments. As a result, funding for the promotion and research initiative will cease, and the board’s consumer-facing activities will be discontinued.

The closure marks a significant shift for the U.S. paper packaging sector, which had relied on the program to coordinate industry-wide promotional activities and sustainability communications. Industry organizations and advocacy groups are expected to continue outreach efforts independently as the sector adapts to the new framework.