Pharma and health
GSK is a biopharma company making medicines and vaccines. It uses recycled card in packaging and e-leaflets for vaccines.
SPI calculation from reported turnover, rounded, 2025.
Formats and materials the company itself reports using, in its own reporting. No pack specifications, volumes or supplier names beyond what it has published.
| Format | Material | What the company reports |
|---|---|---|
| Carton | Paper/board, recycled | Recycled card used in packaging4 |
| Patient information leaflet | Paper (avoided) | E-leaflets for vaccines (replacing paper leaflets)4 |
| Aluminium packaging (format not specified) | Aluminium | Aluminium packaging supply chain targeted under the Sustainable Procurement Programme; engagement with it drove a 3% cut in supply chain waste3 |
| Paper packaging | Paper/board | Paper packaging is one of 12 key naturally-derived materials for sustainable sourcing; 51% of those materials were sustainably sourced and deforestation free in 2025 (all 12 combined, not paper alone)3 |
| Metered dose inhaler | Propellant (HFA-134a to HFA-152a) | Ventolin salbutamol metered dose inhaler accounts for 43% of GSK's total carbon footprint; a version with the low carbon propellant HFA-152a (replacing HFA-134a) could cut emissions per inhaler by about 92%3 |
Reporting scope: GSK does not publish a plastic packaging footprint or plastic-specific targets in the sources reviewed. Packaging is covered by a combined product and packaging environmental impact target measured as carbon reductions from eco-design.3
No packaging supplier relationship is publicly announced in the sources reviewed. The report names supplier engagement on aluminium packaging without naming suppliers.
Targets and progress are taken from each company's own published reports, with a quote and a link on its page. Status shows met or missed only where the company has reported the result. No contacts, purchase volumes, supplier relationships or pack specifications are listed.
Latest reported: Scope and methodology finalised in 2025; 42% of in-scope products have environmental impact reduction plans (plans for all by end 2026)
From the source“25% environmental impact reduction for our products and packaging by 2030”
Latest reported: 3% reduction (2025), mainly through engagement with the aluminium packaging supply chain
From the source“10% waste reduction from our supply chain by 2030”
Every packaging and supply-chain commitment the company has published, with its baseline and the latest progress it reports. Status says met or missed only where the company states the result.
| Commitment | By | Baseline | Latest reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GSK environment targets25% environmental impact reduction for products and packaging by 2030 (measured as carbon reductions from eco-design)3 | 2030 | – | Scope and methodology finalised in 2025; 42% of in-scope products have environmental impact reduction plans; plans for all in-scope products targeted by end 2026 | In progress |
| GSK environment targets10% reduction in supply chain waste from the upstream baseline of 3.8 million tonnes (2022)3 | 2030 | 3.8 million tonnes (2022) | 3% reduction, mainly from engagement with the aluminium packaging supply chain (2025) | In progress |
| GSK environment targetsSustainable sourcing of 12 key naturally-derived materials, including paper packaging (deforestation free)3 | 2030 | – | 51% of the 12 materials sustainably sourced and deforestation free (not split out for paper) (2025) | In progress |
| GSK environment targetsScope 3 reduction against 2020 baseline (supply chain emissions include purchased packaging)3Purchased goods include packaging, so suppliers are inside this target (SPI note). Target level and year not captured in the section read. | 2020 | Scope 3 emissions 16% below 2020 baseline; supply chain emissions down 6% in 2025 | In progress |
GSK filed a regulatory application in the EU for a lower carbon Ventolin metered dose inhaler using the HFA-152a propellant; first launches expected in 2027 if approved.7
Positive pivotal phase III data for a low carbon version of the Ventolin inhaler (HFA-152a), with potential to cut greenhouse gas emissions per inhaler by 92%; Ventolin is close to half (45%) of GSK's global carbon footprint.6
SPI analysis Our reading of the sourced facts above. Not company-reported, not legal advice.
Basis: Presence is taken from GSK's worldwide contact page5, which separates countries with local offices from countries served under a third-party distribution model, and from regional turnover2. Rule IDs are from the SPI Regulation Tracker. GSK sells prescription medicines and vaccines, so food-contact, beverage deposit and single-use foodware rules are not applied. Several packaging laws treat medicinal packaging differently; those carve-outs were not checked. Not legal advice.
| Jurisdiction | Rules in the Regulation Tracker |
|---|---|
| European UnionLocal offices with addresses in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and other EU state |
Cartons, leaflets, blisters and inhaler packs fall under the PPWR framework. The PPWR treats medicinal product packaging differently in places (for example contact-sensitive packaging and recycled content); the carve-outs were not checked in this session, so recycled-content and recyclability rules are listed as possible exposure only. |
| GermanyLocal office listed5 | |
| FranceLocal office listed5 | Triman and Info-tri labelling; medicines packaging treatment not checked. |
| SpainLocal office listed5 |
Spanish plastic packaging tax applies to non-reusable plastic packaging; any medicines exemption was not checked. |
| AustriaLocal office listed5 | Tracker rule is beverage deposit only; not relevant to the product mix. |
| IrelandLocal office listed5 | Tracker rule is beverage DRS only. |
| PortugalLocal office listed5 | Tracker rule is beverage DRS only. |
| PolandLocal office listed5 | Tracker rule is beverage DRS only. |
| United KingdomHeadquarters, London1 |
UK Plastic Packaging Tax and packaging EPR. A UK PPT relief for immediate packaging of licensed human medicines may apply; not verified in this session. |
| United StatesLocal office listed5; US turnover GBP 16,859m in 2025, the largest region2 |
State packaging EPR laws define exemptions for some drug and medical packaging that differ by state; applicability to GSK products not checked. |
| CanadaLocal office listed5 | |
| IndiaLocal office listed5 | Plastic packaging EPR registration as a brand owner. Recycled-content and reuse rules (PR-IN-002, PR-IN-003) may carry pharma-specific treatment; not checked. GSK Pharmaceuticals Limited in India is a separately listed company (not profiled here). |
| ChinaLocal office listed (China Mainland)5 | GB 23350-2021 covers food and cosmetics, not medicines; no direct match. |
| JapanLocal office listed5 | |
| AustraliaLocal office listed5 | Proposed national EPR scheme. |
| New ZealandLocal office listed5 | Tracker rules are single-use plastic item phase-outs; no direct match. |
| VietnamLocal office listed5 | |
| PhilippinesLocal office listed5 | |
| IndonesiaLocal office listed5 | |
| ChileLocal office listed5 | |
| ColombiaLocal office listed5 | |
| BrazilLocal office listed5 | |
| KenyaListed under a third-party distribution model5 | Whether GSK or its distributor is the obligated producer was not checked. |
| South AfricaListed under a third-party distribution model5 | Whether GSK or its distributor is the obligated producer was not checked. |
| United Arab EmiratesLocal office listed5 | Dubai rule targets single-use products; no direct match. |
Plastic taxes: Plastic taxes in the tracker that could touch the mix: UK Plastic Packaging Tax (PR-GB-001) and Spain's non-reusable plastic packaging tax (PR-ES-001), both subject to any medicines reliefs, which were not checked. The EU plastic own resource (PR-EU-017) is paid by Member States.
SPI analysis Our reading of the sourced facts above. Not company-reported, not legal advice.
GSK does not set plastic packaging targets; its packaging agenda runs through carbon. The 25% product and packaging impact target is measured as carbon cut through eco-design, with reduction plans for all in-scope products due by end 2026, so 2026 to 2027 is when packaging redesign briefs are likely to land. The supply chain waste target is already being worked through aluminium packaging suppliers, which signals demand for lower-waste aluminium (for example blister foil and tubes, though GSK does not name formats). The switch of Ventolin to the HFA-152a propellant, with EU launches expected from 2027, will touch inhaler components, canisters and secondary packs. Recycled card and e-leaflets show a steady move to lighter, fibre-based secondary packaging, and paper is inside GSK's deforestation-free sourcing work, so certified-fibre suppliers are better placed. No supplier relationship has been publicly announced; this describes likely demand, not who supplies.
What the sources reviewed do not show, or what we could not confirm. Know something we have missed? Tell the SPI team and we will check it.
Targets in the register above link to their own source. Facts are summarised in the SPI team's words; quotes are marked.
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