Abstract: With the ever-increasing consumer awareness on food safety and environment concerns, the application of natural, eco-friendly, biodegradable, and functional films to replace synthetic plastic for food packaging has become a popular research subject by scientists in recent years. To provide or supplement the protective property of a package in preserving the nutrition, quality, and shelf life of the food content in transit and in storage, the concept of “active packaging” has emerged by incorporating functional agent(s) in a film. Among the additives investigated, tea polyphenols (TPs) are known to have antioxidative and antimicrobial properties. In addition, they could chemically cross-link with the film enhancing its mechanical strength, modulating the optical characteristics, and reinforcing the barrier properties. This article reviewed recent advances in the related studies and discusses the development and challenges in further exploration of the active packaging for food applications.