Cardboard or plastic packaging: how to choose?
Plastic or cardboard: for any restaurateur, café or caterer, this is one of the most defining packaging decisions. You have to balance food safety, customer experience, operating cost and environmental commitment.
Is cardboard always preferable because it is biodegradable? Does plastic remain king when it comes to strength? Here are the criteria for deciding according to your business.
Plastic or cardboard: comparison at a glance
- Ecological impact: conventional plastic takes centuries to degrade (rPET and PLA reduce the impact); cardboard is recyclable, often biodegradable, with a lower immediate footprint.
- Strength: very high for plastic, watertight and not very sensitive to moisture; medium for cardboard, rigid but sensitive to prolonged moisture.
- Recommended uses: plastic for cold drinks, liquid sauces, chilled delivery and airtight sealing; cardboard for hot drinks, dry foods and deliveries where looks matter.
- Visibility: PET and rPET show the product; cardboard is opaque or printed, ideal for branding.
- Cost: plastic is more expensive in recycled or reusable form, cost-effective with a return system; cardboard is cheaper in large single-use volumes.
- Durability: reusable plastic withstands hundreds of washes and cold or damp transport; cardboard suits stacking and dry transport.
- Thermal insulation: low for plastic; high for cardboard, excellent for hot drinks.
- Branding: plastic allows industrial customisation and shows the product; cardboard offers an excellent printing surface and an eco-responsible perception.
Plastic packaging
Light, strong and versatile, it is very widespread in food service. Each plastic has its own properties.
- PET: tough, watertight and transparent. It showcases salads, desserts and cold drinks.
- PP: rigid and heat-resistant. Suitable for hot dishes, microwaving and storage, it is used for trays and meal boxes.
- PLA: plant-based (corn starch), often presented as more eco-friendly, but it remains a plastic that requires specific streams for industrial composting.
Cardboard packaging
Having become essential with growing environmental awareness and new regulations, it is made from natural fibres.
- Kraft board : natural brown, strong, recyclable, it gives an authentic image. It is found in meal boxes, food bags and cups.
- Coated cardboard with a protective film: better leak-proofing and grease resistance, for wet or fatty foods such as burger boxes or soup pots.
Light, easy to customise and with a reduced environmental impact, cardboard is also a direct way of strengthening your brand at the moment the order is handed over.
Differences between plastic and cardboard packaging
Environmental impact
This is the criterion that carries the most weight today. Plastic comes from fossil resources and takes hundreds of years to degrade; even when recyclable, it requires heavy industrial processes. Cardboard comes from renewable resources, is recycled more easily, and many items are now designed plastic-free or with more environmentally friendly coatings.
Strength and functionality
Plastic often keeps the advantage: completely watertight, impact-resistant, more tolerant of cold, moisture and long journeys. Cardboard has progressed a great deal but may require specific treatment for very liquid or greasy preparations. It is nevertheless sufficient for a large share of everyday uses.
Cost and availability
Plastic is generally cheaper to produce, especially in large quantities, with well-established supply chains. Cardboard can cost a little more, especially in eco-designed or customised versions, but the gap narrows with demand. For many operators, the key is to compare based on actual use (leaks, complaints, brand image) and not just unit price.
Customer perception and branding
From a marketing standpoint, cardboard is popular: consumers associate it with a more responsible, higher-quality approach. Well-designed cardboard packaging strengthens a restaurant's image, whereas plastic is increasingly perceived as less aligned with environmental expectations.
Advantages of plastic packaging
Perfect leak-proofing, excellent strength, protection against moisture and leaks: this is essential for certain preparations. Light, easy to carry and often economical, it is sometimes still the most suitable solution for freezing, sauces or drinks.
Advantages of cardboard packaging
Low environmental impact, recyclability, renewable resources, often biodegradable. It also offers great freedom of customisation, an effective communication medium, and is in line with regulations aimed at reducing single-use plastic.
How to choose the right packaging
According to the food or drink
For a cold drink, a salad or a dessert, a plastic container may be appropriate. For a sandwich, a hot dish or a pastry, cardboard is often ideal.
According to durability and transport
If your products travel for a long time or in difficult conditions, favour sturdy, leak-proof packaging. Plastic may be safer, unless you opt for reinforced or coated cardboard.
According to sustainability and regulations
More and more laws regulate plastic, particularly in Europe. Cardboard lets you anticipate these changes. Think about your current needs, but also your customers' future expectations and regulatory requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Is cardboard better for the environment than plastic?
It comes from renewable resources and is recycled more easily, with a lower immediate footprint. Conventional plastic comes from fossil resources and takes centuries to degrade.
Which packaging should you choose for hot drinks?
Cardboard, which insulates heat well. PP is also suitable for hot dishes and microwaving.
Does cardboard withstand fatty or liquid foods?
Cardboard coated with a protective film improves leak-proofing and grease resistance: burger boxes, soup pots. For very liquid preparations, plastic remains the safest.
Is plastic cheaper than cardboard?
It is generally cheaper to produce in large quantities. The gap with cardboard narrows with demand, however, and it is better to compare based on actual use.
Find the packaging suited to your service
There is no material that wins in all circumstances: it all depends on your menu, your service methods and your image. To compare food service items in one place, browse the Covr catalogue : cups, takeaway boxes and salad bowls, designed for food service and takeaway.
