29 NOTICIAS I NEWS del PIB nacional y genera empleo para cerca de medio millón de personas en España. Su presencia transversal en sectores estratégicos amplifica su efecto tractor sobre la economía, impulsando la competitividad, la innovación y la sostenibilidad de toda la cadena de suministro. Por todo ello, el futuro del packaging ya está aquí. Consumidores y marcas demandan cada vez más envases sostenibles, capaces de responder a las exigencias ambientales sin renunciar a la funcionalidad. En este contexto, emergen con fuerza materiales bien conocidos: el papel y el cartón. En definitiva, cuando hablamos de envases, la conclusión es clara: el papel y el cartón se consolidan como los materiales de referencia en términos de producción, circularidad, innovación y sostenibilidad. Paper and cardboard have always been part of our daily lives. They are in the tissues we use every day, in the books we read, in the magazines and newspapers that inform us, in our work documents, and, increasingly, in the packaging that accompanies many of the products we consume. Their presence is so commonplace that it often goes unnoticed by the consumer, despite being the result of decades of innovation and a highly efficient management model. In recent years, paper and cardboard have become established as benchmark materials in the packaging sector. This rise is no accident. First, it responds to the intrinsic sustainability of the material, manufactured from a non-fossil, natural, renewable, and biodegradable raw material. Added to this is its circular nature, based on a system capable of recovering the material, recycling the cellulose, and continuously reintroducing it into the production cycle. And finally, to its functionality: few materials offer comparable versatility, from the sturdy corrugated cardboard boxes that protect goods traveling thousands of kilometers, to the coated cardboard that guarantees the safety and essential information of a wide variety of food products or medicines. Understanding these three key aspects—sustainability, circularity, and functionality—is essential for rigorously addressing the current debate on packaging materials. Although some voices predicted the demise of paper for a time, the reality today is quite different. In 2024, paper and cardboard production in Spain reached 6.6 million tons, representing an 8.5% increase compared to the previous year. This data not only reflects the sector’s consolidated production capacity but also its resilience in the face of recent economic and energy challenges. STRATEGIC ROLE OF PAPER AND CARDBOARD PACKAGING The distribution of this production by type highlights the strategic role of paper and cardboard packaging in today’s economy. Almost seven out of every ten tons produced (68.6%) are used for packaging, which is currently the main application of paper and cardboard. This demonstrates the extent to which these materials are fully integrated into the value chain of key sectors such as food, consumer goods, and e-commerce, where the demand for sustainable and safe packaging continues to grow. This production leadership is also supported by a fully consolidated circular economy model. In 2024, the Spanish paper industry recycled more than 5.2 million tons of recovered paper, raising the recycling rate to 83.6% and positioning Spain as the third largest recycler of paper and cardboard in the European Union, behind only Germany and Italy. If we focus on paper and cardboard packaging, the results are equally remarkable. According to Eurostat, in Europe, they reached a recycling rate of 86.6% in 2023, the highest among all packaging materials. In Spain, almost 8 out of 10 paper and cardboard packages are recycled (79.18% in 2023), exceeding the targets set for 2025 (75%) ahead of schedule. This success is not a matter of chance, but rather the result of a collection and recycling system that has been operating effectively for decades, driven by the collective effort of a value chain working in a coordinated manner. From the collection and sorting of waste to its transformation into new products, the sector ensures that fiber returns to the production cycle time and again, thus closing a truly sustainable production and consumption model. Likewise, the pulp, paper, and cardboard value chain plays a key role in the Spanish economy. According to data from a study commissioned by the Paper Forum, the chain comprises 27,357 companies, contributes approximately 4.3% of the national GDP, and generates employment for nearly half a million people in Spain. Its cross-cutting presence in strategic sectors amplifies its driving effect on the economy, boosting competitiveness, innovation, and sustainability throughout the supply chain. For all these reasons, the future of packaging is already here. Consumers and brands are increasingly demanding sustainable packaging capable of meeting environmental requirements without sacrificing functionality. In this context, well-known materials are emerging strongly: paper and cardboard. In short, when we talk about packaging, the conclusion is clear: paper and cardboard are consolidating their position as the reference materials in terms of production, circularity, innovation and sustainability.
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