Pro Carton reports an 8% decline in fossil carbon intensity in Europe’s cartonboard and folding carton sector since 2021, driven by energy sourcing shifts and sustainable forest management, highlighting progress in reducing Scope 3 emissions.
Pro Carton says the European cartonboard and folding carton sector has cut its cradle-to-gate fossil carbon intensity by 8% since 2021, a development the trade body presents as evidence that fibre-based packaging can help companies reduce Scope 3 emissions.
According to Pro Carton’s 2025 Carbon Footprint of Carton Packaging Study, calculations carried out by the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) and independently verified by the Institut für Energie‑und‑Umweltforschung (ifeu) show the sector’s annual fossil carbon footprint fell from 929 kg CO2e per tonne in 2021 to 854 kg CO2e in 2024. The dataset underpinning the study covers 70 production sites and is reported to represent about 60% of European cartonboard output and roughly 16% of folding carton converting capacity.
The association attributes the improvement primarily to a structural shift in energy sourcing at mills. Between 2021 and 2024 the share of fossil fuels in mill energy mixes declined from 46% to 39%, while the proportion of low‑carbon electricity purchased rose markedly from 23% to 66%. Pro Carton says increased use of wood‑based biofuels and renewable heat avoided an estimated 60 kg CO2e per tonne, and lower‑carbon electricity reduced emissions by a further c.29 kg CO2e per tonne.
The study breaks down where emissions occur across the value chain: around three quarters of fossil emissions arise during cartonboard manufacture, converting into final cartons accounts for roughly one fifth, and transport around 6%. Direct on‑site emissions from converting activities such as print drying and heating are a small share, about 2% of the cradle‑to‑gate total.
Pro Carton frames these outcomes as verifiable progress that supports substitution of fossil‑based packaging materials. The association also highlights the role of sustainably managed European forests in the fibre supply chain, noting that the carbon stored in harvested wood helps offset atmospheric CO2 and contributes to the sector’s overall climate balance.
Industry sources point to longer‑running declines in paper and board carbon intensity beyond the window covered by the Pro Carton study. Metsä Board, for example, cites analyses indicating a more pronounced reduction in carton packaging fossil footprint when measured from 2018, and the European kraft paper and sack sector has shown double‑digit improvements over earlier multi‑year periods, according to RISE‑commissioned work for EUROSAC and partners. Those historical data suggest continued industrial investment , in energy efficiency, fuel switching and procurement of low‑carbon power , is driving measurable decarbonisation across fibre‑based packaging segments.
For B2B purchasers and sustainability teams, the Pro Carton study supplies independently verified, sector‑level metrics that can be used in supplier engagement and Scope 3 accounting. At the same time, the findings underscore where further gains are possible: reducing emissions in cartonboard production remains the biggest lever, while converting and logistics represent secondary but non‑negligible opportunities for emissions cuts. Pro Carton presents the results as the product of structural change and capital investment rather than short‑term offsets, asserting the data give brands a clearer, auditable basis for material substitution decisions.
- https://www.packaging-gateway.com/news/eu-carton-packaging-emissions-fall/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.procarton.com/pro-carton-releases-their-carbon-footprint-study-2025/ – Pro Carton, the European association of cartonboard and carton manufacturers, has published its latest Carbon Footprint Study, providing independently verified data on the climate impact of cartonboard packaging across Europe. The study follows recognised European standards, including the CEPI Framework for Carbon Footprints of Paper and Board Products and the CITPA Guidelines for paper-based packaging. Data was collected from 70 production sites across Europe, representing approximately 60% of European cartonboard production and 16% of folding carton converting. The calculations were carried out by RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) and independently verified by ifeu – the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research in Heidelberg. This rigorous methodology ensures transparency, consistency and trust. The study shows an 8% reduction in fossil carbon emissions compared to the previous assessment. Importantly, this progress reflects structural improvements and long-term industrial investments across the value chain rather than short-term compensation mechanisms. The analysis provides clarity on where emissions occur. Around 73% of fossil emissions arise during cartonboard production, converting into folding cartons accounts for approximately 21%, while transport represents around 6%. This level of transparency helps identify where further reduction efforts can have the greatest impact and supports informed decision-making across the packaging value chain.
- https://packagingeurope.com/news/pro-carton-reports-8-reduction-in-carbon-emissions-for-carton-packaging-industry/13973.article – Pro Carton, the European association of cartonboard and carton manufacturers, has announced that the carton packaging industry has achieved an 8% reduction in cradle-to-gate fossil carbon emissions since 2021. The research was conducted by the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) and independently verified by Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung (ifeu) in Germany. Pro Carton says the research confirms the annual cradle-to-gate fossil carbon footprint dropped from 929 kg CO₂ equivalent to 854 kg CO₂ equivalent per tonne. Pro Carton’s 2025 Carbon Footprint of Carton Packaging Study evaluated the sector’s environmental performance between 2021 and 2024. Drawing on data from 70 sites representing 60% of European cartonboard production and 16% of Europe’s folding carton production sites, the report provides an account of the industry’s progress toward a low-carbon, bio-based economy. According to the study, the 8% reduction in fossil emissions is a direct result of the industry’s collective investment in decarbonisation. Between 2021 and 2024, European mills moved further away from traditional energy sources, reducing the share of fossil fuels in their energy mix from 46% to 39%. By prioritising wood-based biofuels and renewable heat generation, manufacturers avoided approximately 60 kg CO₂ equivalent of fossil emissions per tonne of production. At the same time, the share of low-carbon electricity used at mills rose from 23% to 66%, apparently driven by direct investment in green infrastructure and power procurement. Pro Carton claims that data shows the carbon absorbed during forest growth by the wood used in production ‘significantly exceeds’ the fossil emissions generated during production. The study also examines the efficiency of the converting process, where cartonboard is shaped into final packaging. Converting accounts for 21% of the total cradle-to-gate footprint and direct on-site emissions from print drying and heating represent 2%.
- https://packagingscotland.com/2026/02/european-carton-industry-cuts-fossil-carbon-footprint-by-8/ – Pro Carton, the European association of cartonboard and carton manufacturers, has announced that the carton packaging industry has achieved an 8% reduction in cradle-to-gate fossil carbon emissions since 2021. The research, conducted by the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) and independently verified by Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung (ifeu) in Germany, confirms that the annual carbon footprint dropped from 929 kg CO₂e to 854 kg CO₂e per tonne. Pro Carton said this reinforces carton packaging as a low-carbon solution for brands transitioning away from fossil-based materials and marks a successful decoupling of industry growth from fossil fuel reliance, providing verifiable data required to meet Scope 3 climate targets. Pro Carton’s 2025 Carbon Footprint of Carton Packaging Study also takes a look at the sector’s environmental performance between 2021 and 2024. The report draws on data from 70 sites representing 60% of European cartonboard production and 16% of Europe’s folding carton production sites. The 8% reduction in fossil emissions is said to be a direct result of the industry’s collective investment in decarbonisation. Between 2021 and 2024, European mills moved further away from traditional energy sources, reducing the share of fossil fuels in their energy mix from 46% to 39%. By prioritising wood-based biofuels and renewable heat generation, manufacturers avoided approximately 60 kg CO₂e of fossil emissions per tonne of production. At the same time, the sector has overhauled electricity procurement. The share of low-carbon electricity used at mills nearly tripled to 66%. This shift has been driven by investment in green infrastructure and power procurement. Pro Carton added that the report also highlights the advantage of fibre-based packaging within the natural carbon cycle. Because cartonboard is derived from sustainably managed European forests, it acts as a physical store for atmospheric carbon dioxide. The study confirms fibre supply for packaging is linked to sustainable forest management practices. The research also examines the efficiency of the converting process, where cartonboard is shaped into final packaging. While converting accounts for 21% of the total cradle-to-gate footprint, direct on-site emissions from print drying and heating represent only 2%.
- https://www.eurosac.org/fileadmin/pdf/pdf_press_releases/2021_02_Press_release_ESG_new_environmental_footprint_of_paper_sacks.pdf – The European kraft paper and paper sack industry has put further efforts into improving its carbon footprint. In only three years, between 2015 and 2018, the carbon intensity of a single paper sack was reduced by 8%. This is concluded by the latest carbon footprint analysis on European paper sacks conducted by the Swedish research institute RISE on behalf of the European Paper Sack Research Group (ESG), a collaboration between EUROSAC and CEPI Eurokraft. The recently published report by RISE on the fossil carbon footprint of average European paper sacks summarises an impressive achievement: in this three-year period, the industry improved its emissions during the subsequent stages of production from cradle to the factory gate by 8%, from 92 g CO₂e to 85 g CO₂e. Part of the explanation for this is lightweighting effects based on an improved paper quality and a reduction of the share of other materials such as plastic films in the paper sack. Per tonne of sack kraft paper the fossil carbon impact decreased by 0.5% from 458 kg CO₂e in 2015 to 455 kg CO₂e in 2018. The emissions arising during kraft paper production account for 66% of the total carbon footprint for each individual paper sack. Target of EU action plan exceeded When looking at the data for a longer period, there is a consistent downward trend in the cradle-to-gate fossil carbon impact of average European sack kraft paper and paper sacks. It even exceeds the targets set by the EU climate action plan of reducing the greenhouse gas emission by 20% between 1990 and 2020. In only 11 years (from 2007 to 2018), the fossil carbon impact per tonne of sack kraft paper has been lowered by 20% (from 570 kg CO₂e to 455 kg CO₂e). With 28% improvement (from 118 g CO₂e to 85 g CO₂e), the result for paper sacks is even more significant. The efforts of the European kraft paper and paper sack industry to continuously improve its environmental imprint will be just as high in the upcoming years. “With a reduction of the emissions by 40% to even 55%, the EU has set an ambitious target for 2030,” says Catherine Plitzko-Kerninon, General Delegate, EUROSAC. “Paper sacks are a low-carbon, circular and bio-based packaging solution – this is a good starting point for our industry to contribute to its achievement.”
- https://www.metsagroup.com/metsaboard/news-and-publications/articles/fossil-free-mills-target-helping-to-reduce-carbon-footprint-of-carton-packaging-industry/ – The results of a recent study for Pro Carton – the European Association of Carton and Cartonboard Manufacturers – show that the fossil carbon footprint of carton packaging has fallen by 17% since 2018. Metsä Board is proud of the positive contribution the company has made towards to reducing the carbon footprint of the carton packaging industry through its efforts to be fossil free by the end of 2030. The Pro Carton study, conducted by Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), analysed the cradle-to-grave carbon impact
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article reports on Pro Carton’s 2025 Carbon Footprint Study, published four days ago. The study’s findings have been covered by multiple reputable sources, including Packaging Europe and Packaging Scotland, within the past week. This suggests the content is fresh and original. However, the study itself is based on data from 2021 to 2024, which may not fully reflect the most current industry developments. Additionally, the article appears to be a direct summary of Pro Carton’s press release, which is common for industry reports but may limit the depth of independent analysis. Given these factors, a score of 8 is appropriate.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from Horst Bittermann, Director General of Pro Carton, and Winfried Mühling, Director of Marketing & Communications. These quotes are consistent with those found in Pro Carton’s official press release. While the quotes are verifiable, their direct sourcing from the press release raises concerns about the independence of the reporting. The lack of additional independent sources or verification of these statements in the article further diminishes the credibility of the quotes. Therefore, a score of 7 is warranted.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The article originates from Packaging Gateway, a trade publication focused on the packaging industry. While it is a niche publication, it is generally considered reputable within its sector. However, the article heavily relies on Pro Carton’s press release, with minimal independent analysis or additional sources. This reliance on a single source for the majority of the content raises concerns about the article’s objectivity and depth. Given these factors, a score of 6 is appropriate.
Plausibility check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims made in the article align with Pro Carton’s press release and are consistent with previous reports on the industry’s carbon footprint reductions. The reported 8% reduction in fossil carbon emissions since 2021 is plausible and supported by the data presented. However, the article lacks independent verification of these claims, which would strengthen its credibility. Therefore, a score of 8 is appropriate.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): CONDITIONAL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article provides a summary of Pro Carton’s 2025 Carbon Footprint Study, reporting an 8% reduction in fossil carbon emissions since 2021. While the content is fresh and the claims are plausible, the article heavily relies on Pro Carton’s press release with minimal independent verification. This raises concerns about the depth and objectivity of the reporting. Therefore, the overall assessment is CONDITIONAL, with a MEDIUM confidence level.
