Packaging Working Group & Industry Resources
Packaging Working Group
Recognizing the global focus on plastic packaging and Canada’s commitments to reduce plastic waste, CPMA members established the Plastics Packaging Working Group (PPWG).
The group advances systems-wide change through three key pillars:
- Developing guidelines, standards, and best practices
- Engaging stakeholders across government and industry ecosystems
- Promoting education and dialogue throughout the supply chain
Packaging Related Resources
Guidance Documents
- Navigating the Federal Plastics Registry (2025)
- Sustainable Packaging Guide for Food and Fresh Produce (2023)
- Rationale and Guidance for Migrating to Certified Industrial Compostable PLU Stickers (2023)
- Fresh Produce Plastics Packaging Golden Design Rules Guidelines (2023)
Podcasts & Webinars
- Whole of Supply Chain Sustainability: Creating value from field to fork (2026)
- Overcoming the fresh produce food loss & waste challenge (2026)
- How Design Thinking is Shaping the Future of Sustainable Produce Packaging (2026)
- Beyond waste reduction - Redefining sustainable packaging (2025)
- The Future of Sustainable Packaging – What Consumers Really Want in Packaging (2023)
- Sustainable Produce Packaging podcast (2022)
- ECCC Study- Estimating the cost implications of reducing plastic packaging for fresh produce (2025)
- ECCC Study- Quantifying the functionality importance of plastic packaging in fresh produce from a needs/benefit perspective (2024)
- VCMI Final Report - Comparative Analysis of Plastic versus Cardboard Banana Corner Boards (2022)
- CPMA Plastic Packaging webinar* (2021)
CPMA actively participates in government consultations related to packaging and recycling regulations to ensure fresh produce industry realities are represented.
The Roadmap to Sustainable Fresh Produce Packaging
This roadmap was developed by the Sustainable Produce Packaging Alignment (SPPA) consortium, a diverse industry group committed to advancing scientifically sound, achievable, and sustainable fresh produce packaging guidelines for the fresh produce industry and retail partners throughout North America. Key drivers for undertaking the work plan include:
- Commitment to sustainability
- Regulatory dissonance
- Rapidly evolving policy deployment
- Conflicting buyer expectations and objectives
The purpose of this roadmap is to identify and champion opportunities for the fresh produce industry; to pave the way for a cohesive, industry-wide shift to more functional, economical, and environmentally conscious packaging.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Background
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies shift the cost and responsibility of packaging waste management to producers — those introducing packaging into the marketplace. For the produce sector, EPR frameworks are reshaping material choices and compliance requirements across supply chains.
Webinar: Extended Producer Responsibility in Canada (September 2026)
This webinar provides an updated overview of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements affecting fresh produce packaging in Canada. Participants learn how evolving provincial EPR programs, reporting obligations, producer fees, eco-modulation, and recycling targets are shaping packaging decisions and compliance requirements. The session highlights key industry risks, including rising costs, administrative complexity, and regulatory fragmentation, while offering practical strategies to improve data management, engage with Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs), mitigate costs, and navigate Canada’s rapidly evolving EPR landscape.
Sustainable Packaging Guide for Food and Fresh Produce
The Sustainable Packaging Guide is an interactive web resource designed to help industry professionals make data-driven, sustainable packaging choices that balance performance, safety, and environmental goals.
CPMA Research on Behalf of Industry
Building on the efforts to date to inform government of the adverse impacts of proposed PLU ban regulation and the proposed Pollution Prevention Plan Notice for Primary Food Packaging, CPMA, in collaboration with produce industry stakeholders and partner associations, undertook extensive research to both qualify and quantify the regulatory impacts on Canadians and Canada’s fresh produce sector. The executive summary and supporting studies are provided below for reference.