Look around any modern kitchen and you will see that styrenics polymers are used in a wide range of food contact applications. From yogurt pots and milk bottles to fruit and vegetable containers and fish boxes, styrenics are the material of choice for the food and beverage industry when it comes to safely storing and transporting fresh products.

Packaging plays a fundamental role in combatting food waste. In fact, the EU FUSIONS project estimates that around 88 million tonnes of food waste are produced annually in the EU (both edible food and inedible parts of food) with associated costs of €143 billion, with inadequate packaging being one of the main causes for food losses in supply chains.

Styrenic packaging materials not only contribute to maintaining food safe from spoilage, thus prolonging its shelf-life, but also without compromising the recyclability requirements for packaging to be fit for a circular economy.

Why use styrenics in food packaging?

The simple answer is that unlike other forms of food packaging, styrenics are very resistant to damage and heat.

The strong thermal performance of styrenics means they prolong the shelf life of fresh products, keeping them fresher for longer and reducing food waste. Styrenics can withstand low temperatures (refrigeration) for periods of days, so can safely transport fresh meat and fish products, but also maintain hot temperatures for short periods of time, so work well as containers for hot takeaway food and drinks. In this way, styrenics packaging contributes to advancing the United Nations’ objective (Sustainable Development Goal 12) of halving food waste by 2030, which has been recently reflected in the European Commission’s proposal for the revision of the Waste Framework Directive, putting forward binding targets for food waste reduction.

The strength and barrier properties of styrenics-based packaging also means that it can be used in a single mono-material  layer, reducing the need for mixed material packaging. In fact, polystyrene is one of the world’s most easily sortable and recyclable materials. It can be recycled over and over again, maintaining the highest quality and value of the material, thus being fit for a   closed loop system plastic, contributing to the EU’s recycling and circular economy ambitions.  

The following are some of the core food applications of styrenics packaging.

Dairy packaging

Dairy products like yogurt continue to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) after being packaged. Polystyrene is a breathable material that ensures the safe release of this CO2 while containing the yogurt’s live bacterial cultures. As a result, this not only ensures the safety of food is guaranteed but also prolongs the shelf-life of dairy products, thus avoiding food waste.

The strength and durability of polystyrene is also a valuable characteristic of the material, withstanding impacts during transportation, thus reducing food waste through the food supply chain.

Other food containers

As well as for dairy produce, polystyrene is used in many other types of food packaging, including cups and containers for hot food and drinks, and as packaging for fresh meat, fruit, vegetables and eggs.

Polystyrene has been the material of choice for food manufacturers for decades, as it is easy to process and can be moulded into different shapes to suit specific products. It is also durable, lightweight and efficient to transport, allowing for fuel as well as CO2 emission savings. As with dairy packaging, polystyrene offers high moisture resistance which helps to preserve products and keep them fresh.

Transparent polystyrene film is also used in food packaging as a robust seal on food containers. It is desirable to consumers as they can view the product, while manufacturers favour it for its breathability and tear resistance.

EPS fish packaging

A major application of polystyrene plastics is in expanded) form (EPS) – Read more about EPS here. This is commonly used to protect goods like electrics during transportation and in the manufacture of protective gear like cycling helmets. In the food industry it is most commonly used to transport fish and seafood from sea to store.

EPS boxes are lightweight but also highly insulating, meaning that fish and seafood can be kept cold from catch until delivery. This ensures freshness, quality and high health and safety standards.

EPS also reduces the weight of packaging compared to alternatives, which helps to minimise transportation and logistics footprint and costs. For example, a socio-economic analysis of styrenic polymers by Wood1 estimates that using EPS boxes to transport just 20% of all fishery and aquaculture products consumed in the EU per year over an average distance of 50km would result in fuel savings of around 40,000 litres and CO2 emission savings of over 100 tonnes. In the case of transport by plane, the practical, economic and environmental impacts would be even higher.

Other food contact applications

Styrenic polymers are even used in many electrical kitchen appliances thus enhancing the durability of the products, making them last for longer. For example, they are used to manufacture the liners and drawers in many domestic refrigerators and freezers, as well as to make components used in food processors.


  1. Wood Group UK Limited, Socio-economic analysis of styrene-based food contact materials, commissioned by Plastics Europe, December 2021. ↩︎