Packaging plays a vital role in modern life, keeping our food safe, clean, and affordable. But this convenience comes at a cost: most packaging relies on fossil-based materials, contributes to CO₂ emissions, and creates long-lasting pollution, including microplastics. Tackling these challenges requires alternatives, from new materials to improved recycling systems, and solutions that preserve safety, affordability, and usability. With tightening regulations in Europe and beyond, innovation and global collaboration are key to the future of sustainable packaging.

Professor Selcuk Yildrim, head of the Packaging Research Group at ZHAW, brings over 20 years of international experience in packaging research and industry. Before entering academia, he built a distinguished career in the packaging industry and has been active internationally, serving as a board member of the International Association of Packaging Research Institutes (IAPRI). Through this role, he has developed a wide network of partners across Switzerland, Europe, and beyond, participating in multiple European research projects.

During a two-month sabbatical in Japan through the ZHAW Staff Mobility Program at Swissnex, he explored the sustainable food packaging sector and engaged with Japanese local experts, companies and institutions. In this interview, he shares his expertise, insights, discoveries, and comparisons between Switzerland, Europe, and Japan.

Why did you choose Japan to explore packaging research and industry?
Through our annual international conferences with the  International Association of Packaging Research Institutes (IAPRI), I’ve built connections with packaging researchers worldwide, except Japan. We notice that few Japanese groups attend these events. While Japan’s packaging industry is very strong, we knew little about their research trends. My sabbatical focused on two things: understanding the industry, its goals, legislation, and recycling processes, and learning about academic research at Japanese universities. 

What insights did your meetings give you about the state of packaging research and industry in Japan?
My meetings with associations and companies confirmed that they operate at a global level and share similar goals to Europe. However, I was surprised that universities don’t have dedicated packaging research, most research happens within companies. Universities focus on basic material science, not direct packaging applications. For an applied university like ours at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), it opens opportunities: our Food Packaging Research Group at ZHAW could collaborate to bring new technologies and materials into real packaging solutions and create proofs of concept for future applications.

Do you see potential for collaboration between your work and Japanese partners, and how has this stay influenced your research and network?
Yes, there is a high potential with both companies and universities. I already exchanged contacts with packaging producers interested in our technology, and we discussed possible collaboration in Europe and Japan. With professors in Osaka and Kyoto, we identified promising research fields and agreed to explore joint projects once I return. This stay confirmed that our work on Sustainable food packaging is highly relevant to the industry while giving me valuable new inputs. It also expanded my professional network. Previously, I had very limited connections in Japan, but now I’ve built links through associations and universities, with potential collaborations and even delegations to our annual IAPRI conferences.

You mentioned spending time in Japanese supermarkets observing packaging. What surprised you most compared to Switzerland, and how do cultural habits and sustainability challenges shape packaging design in Japan?

What really surprised me was, first, how much packaging there is, especially for fresh fruits and vegetables, often wrapped individually to protect their value and extend shelf life. Second, the abundance of convenience products: from cooked eggs to tiny snack portions, each one packaged separately, sometimes even double or triple wrapped. Third, the strong gift and takeaway culture, where presentation, hygiene, and portioning matter more than minimizing packaging.

These practices reflect deeper cultural priorities in Japan such as hygiene, respect, convenience, and food preservation which strongly influence packaging choices. Unlike Europe, where sustainability has a greater impact on consumer habits and regulations, Japan faces unique challenges. The lack of rules on portion sizes encourages excessive packaging; strict hygiene standards make re-use difficult; and the hot, humid climate requires durable protection, especially for perishable foods like raw fish and dried products. Although collection systems are well-developed, recycling rates remain low. Together, these factors make the shift toward more sustainable packaging far more complex in Japan than in Switzerland or elsewhere in Europe.

As part of the ZHAW Staff Mobility Program, Professor Selcuk Yildrim was one of the keynote speakers at the Beyond Recycling event, hosted by Swissnex in collaboration with UNEP-IETC, ZHAW, and under the Swissnex for the Planet initiative. He shared his expertise on sustainable food packaging, while Shunichi Honda complemented the discussion with insights on waste management. During the workshop, both engaged participants, enriching the conversation on sustainability and highlighting key differences in packaging practices in Switzerland, Europe, Japan, and globally.

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