Packaging is often criticized as a symbol of today’s throwaway society, as it is mostly
made of plastic, which is in itself quite controversial, and is usually used only once. However,
as packaging’s main function is to protect its content and 30% of all food produced worldwide is
lost or wasted along the supply chain, optimized packaging may be one of the solutions to reduce
this staggering amount. Developing countries struggle with losses in the supply chain before food
reaches the consumer. Here, appropriate packaging may help to protect food and prolong its shelf
life so that it safely reaches these households. In developed countries, food tends to be wasted rather
at the household’s level due to wasteful behavior. There, packaging may be one of the drivers due
to inappropriate packaging sizes and packaging that is difficult to empty. When discussing the
sustainability of packaging, its protective function is often neglected and only revolves around the
type and amount of material used for production. In this review, drivers, issues, and implications
of packaging-related food losses and waste (FLW) are discussed, as well as the implication for the
implementation in life cycle assessments (LCA).