On 5 June, the European Commission published a Commission Notice providing further clarity about the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation in practice. We take a closer look at the document to understand its requirements in detail, including the current status of PFAS restrictions, the…
In this Innovation Spotlight, Dow outlines how its extrusion coating portfolio aims to support recyclability requirements and regulatory readiness, and how its collaboration with RDM Group demonstrates how lightweight polymer coatings can extend the use of fibre-based packaging into applications…
In this edition of the Brief, we look at how different colours are utilized in packaging, the role of colour theory in packaging design, which colours consumers are most drawn to and why. We also note the role of cultural contexts in colour association.
In this edition of the Brief, we take a closer look at what parts of packaging design can impact neurodivergent shoppers, including material feel, sounds, visual clutter and how these qualities might be adapted to make packaging more inclusive.
What makes limited-edition packaging so special, and why do companies continue to produce it? How do consumers engage with it, and what are the pros and cons of producing one-off products? These are some of the questions we’ll be exploring in this edition of The Brief.
In this Brief, we outline the EU’s municipal waste objectives and detail the main findings and recommendations of the report published the European Court of Auditors (ECA), which examines the action taken by the Commission and the member states to achieve the EU’s objectives for municipal waste…
McDonald’s Corporation recently released a report detailing its opinions on the potential environmental, financial and operational impacts of introducing reusable packaging in some of its European restaurants. The company commissioned PwC UK to analyze the impacts of single-use and reusable…
A new research article by Mieke van den Berg of The LCA Centre and Roland ten Klooster of the University of Twente in the Netherlands evaluates the factors in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies comparing single-use to reuse.
In recent months the Labubu toy - designed by artist Kasing Lung and sold by Chinese toy maker Pop Mart - has become a global sensation, with its blind box packaging a key selling point for consumers. In this Brief, we examine how Labubu’s packaging has contributed to its success, how this could…
Sensoneo recently published its Global Waste Index 2025, comparing waste management across the 38 member states of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD). In this edition of The Brief, we outline the main findings of the report including the biggest global waste…
At the end of last year, the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) released its data report on England’s Resources and Waste Policy programme, which involved improving recycling rates for households and businesses; improving waste quality; and reducing plastic pollution and…
In recent years, dissolvable packaging has been emerging across multiple industries including food, retail and personal care. In this edition of The Brief, we take a closer look at its current uses, some of the benefits and challenges involved and consider its potential future applications.
At the end of 2022, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) began an initiative titled the ‘Reuse Roadmap 2030 for Supermarkets’ involving various supermarkets and organisations. In this edition of The Brief, we outline the main pathways identified by the participants and…
In this edition of The Brief, we investigate what ‘shrinkflation’ means, why it happens, and how it affects the packaging industry. Shrinkflation is generally defined as when the size or quantity of a product is reduced, but the price remains the same. We’ll look at why businesses might make these…
