Amcor

How ethical is Amcor?

Amcor is a packaging manufacturer which has fallen below The GOOD Shopping Guide’s ethical benchmark on our Ethical Packaging Ratings Table. Despite positioning itself as a global leader in packaging sustainability, Amcor’s below-benchmark performance is driven by significant environmental shortcoming.

What does Amcor do?

Amcor plc is an Australian-founded, Jersey-domiciled global packaging company headquartered in Switzerland. The company develops and produces flexible packaging, rigid containers, specialty cartons, closures, and related services for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, personal care, and other products. Amcor operates across more than 200 locations in over 36 countries and employs approximately 77,000 people, generating around $15 billion in annual sales.

Why does Amcor fall below The GOOD Shopping Guide’s benchmark?

Amcor’s below-benchmark performance is primarily driven by a poor rating for pollution. This is a significant concern for a company that publishes annual sustainability reports, has committed to science-based emissions targets, and actively markets itself on environmental credentials. Amcor has a documented history of pollution-related violations, including a 2007 conviction by the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court for releasing oil into the Yarra River and a 2001 fine from EPA Victoria. Violation Tracker records over 130 penalty instances relating to Amcor totalling more than $2.6 million since 2000. For a company of Amcor’s scale and stated circular economy ambitions, a poor pollution rating represents a serious gap between corporate messaging and demonstrable performance.

Amcor also receives a poor rating for vegan options, indicating limited focus on plant-based or vegan-certified packaging solutions within its product range. As consumer demand for sustainable and plant-based alternatives grows across the sectors Amcor serves, this represents a further area requiring attention.

Beyond these poor ratings, Amcor’s toxic chemicals policy, fossil fuels, and political donations ratings are all acceptable rather than good, indicating further room for improvement across chemical management, energy transition, and corporate governance.

It is worth acknowledging that Amcor achieves good ratings for its environmental report, eco certifications, animal welfare, armaments, and responsible marketing, and has no documented public record criticisms within the assessment window. The company’s investment in sustainability reporting and recyclability targets demonstrates awareness of its environmental responsibilities. However, a poor pollution rating for a global packaging manufacturer of this scale and stated purpose is an ethical concern that The GOOD Shopping Guide cannot overlook.

Consumers seeking packaging solutions that meet The GOOD Shopping Guide’s ethical benchmark are encouraged to consult our Ethical Packaging Ratings Table and our guide to ethical packaging, and prioritise brands that hold Ethical Accreditation. Several higher-ranking alternatives in this sector have achieved independent ethical verification and represent stronger choices for ethically conscious consumers. Our how we rate page explains the criteria used to assess all brands in this sector.