Key findings at a glance
| Finding | Result of the KEDGE study |
|---|---|
| Gap between best and worst packaging | Highest-emitting option generated up to 2.8 times more emissions than the best-performing one |
| Germany to China shipment | Approx. 3 to more than 8 tonnes of CO₂e depending on packaging technology |
| United States to China shipment (larger) | Approx. 16 to more than 40 tonnes of CO₂e depending on packaging technology |
| Impact of air repositioning of empty containers | Increases total emissions by 11% to 40% versus maritime repositioning |
| Largest emission driver | Transportation of loaded shipments (vast majority of total emissions in all scenarios) |
| Most influential packaging factor | Packaging weight |
Why does packaging matter for pharmaceutical cold chain emissions?
The pharmaceutical industry faces a dual challenge. Manufacturers must deliver temperature-sensitive medicines (vaccines, biologics, cell and gene therapies, specialty pharmaceuticals) safely and within strict temperature requirements. At the same time, they are under growing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across their supply chains.
Transportation is one of the largest contributors to the sector's environmental footprint, especially in the pre-distribution stage, when products travel from manufacturing sites to regional distribution centers, often by air freight to meet demanding timelines.
A recent study by Professor Yann Bouchery of KEDGE Business School (PhD in Industrial Engineering, Ecole Centrale Paris) introduces an enhanced methodology for measuring emissions from time- and temperature-sensitive shipments. Its central message for companies seeking to reduce Scope 3 emissions: not all cold chain packaging solutions are equal, and the way they are designed and managed makes a significant difference.
Why is measuring pharmaceutical shipping emissions so complex?
Traditional carbon accounting generally focuses on transportation and on the production and disposal of packaging materials. These approaches often overlook operational realities of reusable packaging systems. The KEDGE study identifies three factors that deserve more attention:
- Real return rates. Many assessments assume 100% of reusable packaging is returned. In practice, containers may be lost, retained by customers or damaged before reaching their expected lifetime.
- Foldable designs. Some reusable systems fold, so empty containers take up much less space during repositioning. This can substantially affect emissions, particularly for sea transport, yet it is rarely included in conventional calculations.
- Repositioning of empty containers. Moving empty containers between service centers (also called provisioning) creates additional emissions that are hard to quantify. The study introduces a more robust way to measure and allocate them across reusable packaging networks.
Incorporating these factors gives a more realistic picture of the lifecycle emissions of temperature-controlled pharmaceutical shipments.
How are cold chain packaging emissions measured?
The methodology evaluates emissions across three categories:
- Fixed emissions: raw material extraction, packaging manufacturing, initial positioning and end-of-life treatment. For reusable solutions, they are allocated across the actual number of times a container is used during its lifetime.
- Variable packaging emissions: conditioning, transport to and from service centers, refurbishment, returns and repositioning. They vary with how packaging assets are managed across the network.
- Product transportation emissions: moving the pharmaceutical products from the manufacturing site to their destination in the pre-distribution supply chain.
What drives the carbon footprint of a pharmaceutical shipment?
Transportation of the loaded shipment dominates. Across all scenarios analyzed, it represented the vast majority of total emissions. Relatively small differences in packaging weight therefore have significant consequences over long air distances.
The study examined two representative scenarios, a shipment from Germany to China and a larger shipment from the United States to China. Despite the difference in scale, both reached very similar conclusions: packaging selection is not only an operational decision but a strategic sustainability decision with a direct impact on Scope 3 performance.
What are the three characteristics of low-carbon packaging?
1. Lightweight design
Weight emerged as the single most influential factor. Because air freight emissions are directly linked to shipment weight, reducing packaging mass lowers total emissions. The study found a strong correlation between weight efficiency and carbon performance, and lighter solutions consistently outperformed heavier ones.
2. Reusability
Reusable packaging spreads manufacturing emissions across multiple shipment cycles, reducing the impact of each use. However, actual operational performance matters more than theoretical durability: return rates and asset management practices largely determine the real-world carbon benefits.
3. Maritime repositioning
A reusable system reaches its full potential only if containers are repositioned efficiently. Reusable packaging repositioned by sea generates substantially lower emissions than systems relying on air repositioning, which can increase total emissions by between 11% and 40% depending on shipment characteristics and packaging design. Sustainability depends not only on packaging design but also on the operational model behind it.
What is the provisioning rate and why does it matter?
The study introduces the provisioning rate, which quantifies the intensity of repositioning activity within a packaging provider's service network. Global pharmaceutical flows are rarely balanced: containers accumulate in some regions while shortages appear in others, making repositioning necessary.
Providers that balance their networks effectively and minimize long-distance air repositioning can significantly reduce lifecycle emissions. Poorly optimized asset networks can reduce or even cancel some of the environmental advantages of reusable packaging. For pharmaceutical companies evaluating suppliers, these operational dynamics are as important as thermal performance or acquisition cost.
What is the standardized weight factor?
The standardized weight factor is a new metric that measures packaging weight relative to usable volume. It gives shippers a practical way to compare weight efficiency across packaging formats and sizes.
A lower standardized weight factor means a solution can carry more product volume with less packaging mass. The study found that it correlates strongly with overall carbon performance, making it a useful screening tool during packaging selection, without requiring a full lifecycle analysis for every shipment scenario.
How can pharmaceutical companies reduce cold chain emissions?
Environmental reporting requirements are increasing, investors are watching Scope 3 emissions more closely and customers expect greater transparency. The findings point to six practical actions:
- Prioritize lightweight packaging solutions
- Consider lifecycle emissions rather than acquisition cost alone
- Evaluate actual return rates and reuse performance
- Assess how reusable assets are repositioned within provider networks
- Favor maritime over air repositioning
- Include carbon performance metrics in packaging procurement decisions
Most importantly, the research shows that substantial emission reductions can be achieved without compromising product protection.
Looking ahead
Sustainability performance is becoming as important as operational performance in pharmaceutical logistics. The most sustainable solutions combine lightweight construction, reusability, efficient network management and low-emission repositioning. For packaging providers, this is a roadmap for innovation; for pharmaceutical companies, a decision-making framework. When it comes to cold chain emissions, what matters is not only how medicines are transported, but also the packaging systems that make their safe delivery possible.
Frequently asked questions
How much can packaging change the carbon footprint of a pharmaceutical shipment?
According to the KEDGE Business School study, the highest-emitting packaging option generated up to 2.8 times more emissions than the best-performing alternative.
What is the main source of emissions in temperature-controlled pharmaceutical shipping?
The transportation of loaded shipments represents the vast majority of total emissions in every scenario studied, which is why packaging weight has such a strong influence.
Is reusable packaging always lower in carbon?
Not automatically. Its benefit depends on real return rates, asset management and how empty containers are repositioned. Poorly optimized networks can reduce or cancel the advantages of reuse.
Is it better to reposition reusable containers by sea or by air?
Sea. The study found that air repositioning can increase total emissions by 11% to 40% compared with maritime repositioning.
Does lower-carbon packaging compromise product protection?
No. The research demonstrates that substantial emission reductions can be achieved without compromising product protection.
What is the standardized weight factor?
It is a metric introduced by the study that compares packaging weight to usable volume. A lower value correlates with better carbon performance and helps screen packaging options quickly.
About the authors
Yann Bouchery is Associate Professor in Operations Management and a member of the Center of Excellence in Supply Chain at KEDGE Business School. He holds a PhD in Industrial Engineering from Ecole Centrale (Paris), has 15 years of experience in sustainable operations, and is co-editor of “Sustainable Supply Chains: A Research-Based Textbook on Operations and Strategy”.