Exploring how we can achieve a truly sustainable ecosystem for flexible film packaging

by Tiantian Li, Ph.D. Student, University of Stuttgart, Germany on her SMAR3TS secondment to IfM Engage, University of Cambridge, UK in May - July 2026

Food and beverage plastic packaging is everywhere, yet creating circular packaging systems remains one of today’s most critical challenges. During my SMAR3TS secondment at IfM Engage, we explored how we can achieve a truly sustainable ecosystem for flexible film packaging.

Throughout my secondment, we conducted qualitative interviews with key players across the packaging ecosystem, from material suppliers and converters to brand owners, recyclers. Using ecosystem value mapping frameworks, we mapped out where value is created, where systemic gaps emerge, identifying key opportunities for cross-sector collaboration.

During the secondment, I presented our preliminary ecosystem mapping findings at the Open Innovation Forum (OIF) and gathered qualitative interview data across the flexible packaging ecosystem. These initial insights and interview data help clarify key systemic gaps, contributing valuable empirical evidence toward the goals of the SMAR3TS project.

Building on the qualitative interview data focused on the UK flexible packaging ecosystem, the host team will benchmark these findings against other European circular ecosystems, integrating these comparative insights into an upcoming joint report and future research on packaging ecosystems.

Working with the team at Cambridge was a great opportunity to bridge ecosystem theory with real-world packaging challenges, and it gave me a much clearer direction for my future work on sustainable transitions.

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