Sustainability and Consumer Acceptance of Leaves as Packaging Material: A Systematic Review

The global shift toward sustainable food packaging has renewed interest in bio- and plant-derived materials as alternatives to conventional plastics. Leaf-based packaging, a long-standing practice in many regions, represents a low-technology and culturally embedded option that is gaining attention, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Despite this interest, evidence on its functional suitability, safety, regulatory alignment, and real-world adoption remains scattered and uneven. This systematic review synthesises current knowledge on leaf-based food packaging to determine where, how, and under what conditions it may be viable. Following PRISMA-ScR 2020 guidelines, peer-reviewed studies published between 1997 and 2025 were identified from major scientific databases and assessed using study-type-appropriate quality appraisal tools. Evidence was organised through a thematic framework addressing consumer awareness and willingness to pay, practical adoption and cultural patterns, economic trade-offs, and functional co-benefits alongside microbial and toxicological risks within existing regulatory and end-of-life systems. Comparative analysis considered differences between low- and middle-income and high-income contexts. The findings show that leaf-based packaging is most suitable for short shelf-life and low-risk foods, especially within traditional food service settings. Adoption is encouraged by cultural familiarity and environmental perceptions but limited by performance variability, hygiene concerns, compliance requirements, and infrastructure constraints. Scalability remains restricted by cost-effectiveness and compatibility with formal packaging and waste systems. Leaf-based materials should therefore be viewed as a context-specific sustainability option rather than a universal replacement for plastics, requiring targeted and risk-informed integration into appropriate food systems.