European Paper Sacks Continue to Reduce Their Carbon Footprint
Sustainability continues to be a key focus across the packaging industry, and according to a recent article published by EuroSac News, European paper sacks have achieved a significant reduction in their carbon footprint over the past three years.
The study, conducted by RISE on behalf of the European Paper Sack Research Group (ESG), found that the carbon footprint of a typical European paper sack decreased by 9% between 2021 and 2024. The findings highlight the industry’s ongoing commitment to reducing emissions and accelerating its journey towards net-zero production.
A Positive Step Towards Decarbonisation
The cradle-to-gate assessment revealed that emissions per paper sack fell from 106.7 grams of COâ‚‚ equivalent in 2021 to 97.3 grams in 2024. During the same period, the fossil carbon footprint associated with sack kraft paper production was reduced by 5%, decreasing from 484 kg COâ‚‚e per tonne to 462 kg COâ‚‚e per tonne.
As sack kraft paper production accounts for approximately 60% of the total carbon footprint of a finished paper sack, improvements in this area have played a crucial role in the overall reduction.
According to EuroSac, these results demonstrate how collaboration across the industry is helping to drive meaningful progress in decarbonisation efforts.
Renewable Energy Leading the Change
One of the most significant contributors to the reduction in emissions has been the growing use of renewable and low-carbon energy throughout the manufacturing process. The report highlights that sack kraft paper production already relies heavily on renewable energy sources, with many mills increasing their use of low-carbon electricity. In 2024, more than half (54%) of the electricity consumed by sack kraft paper mills came from renewable or low-carbon sources, compared to just 29% in 2021.
Biofuels also play an important role. They now account for 85% of all on-site fuel consumption, while internally generated biofuels represent 77% of total on-site energy use. Additionally, paper mills are generating a substantial portion of their own energy requirements, producing 58% of their electricity demand on-site.
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 Improvements Across the Supply Chain
The study also found that converting plants—where paper sacks are manufactured and finished—have made significant strides in reducing emissions.
Between 2021 and 2024, emissions linked to purchased grid electricity at converting facilities fell by 44%. By 2024, 41% of the electricity used in converting operations originated from renewable or low-carbon sources, demonstrating a clear industry-wide commitment to cleaner energy solutions.
What This Means for Sustainable Packaging
The latest findings reinforce the role that paper-based packaging can play in supporting sustainability goals. Through increased investment in renewable energy, improved production efficiencies, and collaborative industry initiatives, manufacturers continue to reduce the environmental impact of paper sacks while maintaining the performance and reliability required by customers. As businesses across Europe seek more sustainable packaging solutions, these results provide encouraging evidence that the paper sack industry is moving in the right direction.
With carbon emissions continuing to fall and renewable energy use rising, the sector is well positioned to support a lower-carbon future for packaging.
CB Paper Sacks Ltd is uniquely located in Northern Ireland to support customers in Ireland, UK and Continental Europe. We are renowned in the market for agility, flexibility, and exceptional service level – we can do what other suppliers cannot at our production facility in Bangor, Northern Ireland, (short runs, stock holding & Call-off).
As the only sack producer on the island of Ireland we have a footprint for 2m finished goods to ensure rapid response during peak seasonal demand. Our strong blue chip portfolio of satisfied customers includes: Lakeland Dairies, Dairygold, Muller, Mars and several others.
