Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 June 2023
Packaging protects products, keeps their value and reduces waste. This is especially crucial in domains with perishable goods such as food, medicine or cosmetics. But conventional packaging solutions yield negative environmental impacts. In the EU, the largest share of plastics is used for packaging, causing a corresponding footprint. The application of sustainable strategies to packaging should help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and promote the development of sustainable consumption. In this paper, a review is conducted on research that brings together circular economy, packaging design and cosmetics industry, by systematic literature review and content analysis. In addition to the current standards of conventional packaging, packaging alternatives are presented, which are categorised according to the R-strategies Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.