Amcor and materials science company Dow have announced a collaboration designed to help consumer brands and retailers accelerate the commercial adoption of low-carbon packaging solutions.

The partnership connects Amcor’s packaging innovation, manufacturing expertise, and global reach with Dow’s low-carbon polyethylene, materials science, and carbon accounting tools. Together, the companies aim to help commercial partners implement and scale next-generation packaging formats that maintain required performance, quality, and functionality while advancing Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets.

Overcoming barriers to commercial decarbonisation

Addressing Scope 3 emissions — indirect emissions that occur across a company’s upstream and downstream value chain — remains one of the most critical challenges for corporate sustainability, often representing the largest portion of a enterprise’s overall carbon footprint. While many brands have established ambitious climate commitments, the transition has frequently been hindered by high commercial risks and the requirement for complex packaging redesigns.

To bridge this gap, Amcor and Dow are introducing a novel commercial framework utilising market-based mechanisms aimed at reducing adoption risk, creating clearer demand signals, and streamlining the evaluation process for consumer goods companies.

“One of the biggest barriers to decarbonisation is the gap between consumer interest and commercial commitment,” said Keith Cleason, business president of packaging & specialty plastics at Dow. “Together with Amcor, we are testing a new commercial model through market-based mechanisms to reduce adoption risk, create clearer demand signals and help accelerate commercialisation of low-carbon packaging solutions across the value chain. We are making it easier for brands and retailers to evaluate and integrate low-carbon packaging options that support both business growth and sustainability objectives.”

Drop-in solutions and verified carbon footprints

A primary advantage of the joint initiative is providing brands with a “drop-in solution” — enabling the incorporation of low-carbon polyethylene into existing packaging formats without requiring significant redesigns or capital investments in new manufacturing infrastructure.

“Scope 3 emissions occur upstream and downstream in the value chain, making it difficult to reduce,” said David Clark, chief sustainability officer at Amcor. “Bringing low carbon polyethylene to market in packaging that meets the same technical and design standards is one of the simplest ways to help shrink a product’s carbon footprint. Because it’s truly a drop-in solution for brands, we see this collaboration as an exciting opportunity for them to translate climate commitments into action.”

To ensure transparency and trust in emissions reporting, the collaboration incorporates the Carbon Footprint Ledger (CFL) methodology. Based on mass balance principles in GHG accounting, CFL provides independently assured product carbon footprint data that aligns with recognised international standards, including ISO 14067 and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Product Standard. This structure provides brands and retailers with clear visibility into the environmental impact of their packaging selections.