Bel Group's Babybel is leading the charge into paper-wrapped cheese. The brand will transition all Babybel products made in five plants and distributed in 50 countries to paper packaging by 2027, and early consumer reaction has been positive. Packaging research leader Clément Ernest at Bel Group says the switch "was very positively received when we introduced it to the market," noting that consumers trust paper and view it as natural.
But this success story is not universally replicable. Paper packaging suits dry products far better than wet or oily ones. Cheese, being wet and oily, demands "major trade-offs" on barrier performance to maintain shelf life, Ernest explains. The transition also reshapes every stage of the product lifecycle, from filling machinery to end-of-life disposal.
Paper-based food packaging is rarely a single material. Most versions contain composite layers, including plastic barriers needed to keep liquids sealed for extended storage. This complexity makes recycling harder. Roger Wright, water strategy and packaging manager at UK waste company Biffa, notes that composite materials may not sort properly, and if feedstock fails to meet mill specifications, it loses value in the recycling stream.
Cost poses another barrier. Paper-based solutions with high performance requirements typically cost more initially. Consumers strongly prefer paper over plastic, but they will not pay premiums for packaging at scale, according to Jamie Stone, partner at PA Consulting Group. If a product becomes less convenient or enjoyable during the switch, markets will reject it regardless of environmental claims.
No single brand can drive the transition alone. Retailers must place multiple SKUs on shelf to achieve the scale that keeps material costs down and makes waste management systems economically viable. Earlier collaboration between brands, retailers, and waste managers is essential to making paperisation work without passing costs to consumers.