“Plastics have a rightful place in reuse systems,” Charlie Bradley

What inspired you to pursue a career in the packaging industry?

Charlie Bradley - Over the past four years, working closely with both industry and academics has shown just how complex the transition to a circular economy can be – and has highlighted the need for data transparency to effectively scale and sustain reuse systems.

All these challenges – and the quest for practical solutions – continue to motivate me.

What is one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a young leader in the packaging industry?

Charlie Bradley - Probably building meaningful connections. Early in my academic career, I lacked the confidence to reach out and engage with industry leaders, highly driven individuals whose ambitions were already shaping the future of sustainable packaging.

What I discovered, however, was that many of them genuinely recognised the importance of sharing knowledge to advance our collective goals. Their openness helped me understand that collaboration is essential for making reuse solutions more accessible and scalable.

If you could change one misconception about packaging, what would it be?

Charlie Bradley - One misconception I’d like to change is the blanket belief that “plastics are bad”. There’s a growing assumption that any alternative material is automatically better than plastic. For reuse systems, that simply isn’t true. Premium materials like stainless steel or glass carry higher environmental and economic costs upfront, requiring more cycles to be sustainable.

Plastics – when kept in circulation and managed responsibly – may offer a lower-impact, highly effective option. They shouldn’t be automatically dismissed but considered, used, and reused where appropriate.

This year marks 25 years of Paris Packaging Week. What legacy do you hope this new generation of Future Leaders will leave behind for the next 25 years?

Charlie Bradley - We are at a turning point. As a society, we cannot continue consuming single-use packaging at the current rate. It’s about changing the narrative – shifting the focus from convenience to responsibility. My hope for the next 25 years is that reuse becomes a seamless part of everyday life, a default habit rather than a conscious effort.

What advice would you give to young professionals who are just starting their careers in packaging?

Charlie Bradley - There are no stupid questions. Sometimes we forget the importance of asking the fundamentals. Taking a step back - reassessing design decisions early can make all the difference. Take your time - setting up new systems is a marathon not a race.

What does it mean to you to be selected as a Future Leaders?

Charlie Bradley - Being selected as a Future Leader means having a platform to drive meaningful change toward a sustainable future. It gives me the opportunity to advocate for reusable packaging systems and guide conversations toward practical, long-term solutions.

Beyond advocacy, I am excited about the chance to connect with like-minded peers and industry leaders, exchanging ideas and learning from their experiences to strengthen my impact.

Can you share an example of a packaging design, innovation, or brand you consider truly iconic — and why?

Charlie Bradley - Coca-Cola glass bottles immediately come to mind. Growing up, I remember buying a bottle of Coke from my local vendor and returning it in exchange for a petty cash - little did I know that this was my earliest memory of a returnable packaging system.

The iconic design of the Coca-Cola bottle is undeniable - it’s instantly recognisable worldwide - across both developed and developing societies, everyone knows its shape. It used to be normal for bottles to be used, returned, refilled, and resold - so why did we switch to single-use?

I believe it’s the responsibility of big brands to step up and provide sustainable solutions to the packaging crisis. They have the capital, the reach, and – hopefully – the drive to enact real change.