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 the last year or so, we have seen increased investments in companies producing fibre-based packaging - from Yangi securing €10 million in funding to scale its dry forming technology to Fiberdom receiving €3.5 million for its compostable paperboard material. What are the main drivers behind…
Studies are starting to warn that tea bags may be leaching microplastics into our cups of tea. Should we be concerned, and if so, are we ready to sacrifice their convenience for an alternative solution? Packaging Europe answers it all in this edition of the Brief.
This report examines the most impactful sustainability-driven innovations shaping the packaging industry today, drawing on insights from Sustainability Awards judges and real-world commercial examples.
The success or failure of a sustainability-minded packaging design can ultimately hinge on consumer participation, but do they hold impossible expectations? In this edition of the Brief, we delve into the most controversial packaging alterations in recent years, consider why consumers responded so…
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…
As ever, the 2025 Sustainable Packaging Summit was designed to bring as many key value chain players together as possible – over 900 delegates at final count – in order not only to lament the ongoing and emerging challenges we all face but to discuss possible solutions. Here is a summary of the…
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…
The spork is an infamous utensil, envisioned as a spoon-and-fork hybrid but widely mocked for its impracticality. Should we write it off entirely, or can we learn some valuable lessons from its poor reception? We answer these questions and more in this edition of the Brief.
We have heard about and indeed reported on many of the emerging uses of artificial intelligence (AI) tech when it comes to helping the packaging industry meet its sustainability goals, whether that’s retrieving ocean plastic waste, monitoring recyclability, improving supply chain visibility or…
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.
Halloween is almost upon us, and Packaging Europe asks the question: is overconsumption the only way to celebrate? In the latest edition of the Brief, we consider viable ways for businesses and consumers alike to enjoy the spooky season without leaving a trail of packaging waste behind.
We all know the environmental arguments for transitioning to bioplastics are compelling, and European Bioplastics says it expects global bioplastics production to almost triple over the next few years. Yet even so, its market share still only stands at around 1%. Why?
