PACKAGING SUSTAINABILITY AND CIRCULARITY: A SYSTEMIC DESIGN PERSPECTIVE

his chapter explores the transformative potential of design in supporting a sustainable transition through packaging, emphasising the necessity of a systemic perspective. Packaging is gaining relevance, not only due to increasing social and environmental awareness, but also because of its evolving role in the context of digitalisation. Tools such as digital twins, intelligent sensors, and traceability platforms enable real-time monitoring of material flows, lifecycle optimisation, and the implementation of circular strategies. The integration of these technologies calls for careful attention to environmental impacts. In this light, considering the growing complexity of socio-technical systems, packaging is no longer conceived solely as a functional artefact but as a dynamic node mediating interactions between products, users, supply chains, and environmental impacts. The chapter examines four interrelated dimensions of packaging design: the artefact itself, its relationship with the contained product, its interaction with multiple stakeholders across the supply chain, and its broader socio-environmental and regulatory context. By adopting a systemic design approach, packaging evolves from a tangible artefact into a strategic tool that aligns local operational practices with global sustainability goals, fostering circularity, resilience, and socio-environmental responsibility.