Sustainability in Packaging Europe

A series of articles reporting on the Sustainability in Packaging Europe 2018 conference from Barcelona, Spain.

Nov 5th, 2018

Matt Tudball, Senior Editor, Recycling, ICIS

Retailers, Brands Ride the Wave of Ocean-Bound Plastic

Ocean-bound plastic is gaining small but significant traction within the packaging sector, particularly from those in the rPET market.

These paperboard carriers are shipped to grower facilities where operators erect and fill them.

Paperboard Fruit Carriers

Canada’s Niagara Orchard & Vineyard Corp., located in Virgil, Ontario, just completed its first season-long trial of paperboard carriers in place of thermoformed PET containers for fresh fruit.

Pat Reynolds 2016 Official Less Red

A Farewell Lead Off

This column was my responsibility each month for many years.

Image by Gousto Recipe Box

Viable Edible Packaging Applications: Rare but Real (and Thought-Provoking)

Edible packaging may never be truly mainstream, but there are niche situations where it can be viable and effective. Recently, applications have leapt off the conceptual drawing board and into commercialized projects for beta testing.

Crisp/Avojoy sustainable pack for avocados

Avocado Cartons and Pet Food SIOC Among New Formats for E-Comm Packaging

See new trends in e-commerce packaging from ThePackHub’s November Packaging Innovation Briefing Report.

Henry Lopez (left) and Michaela Gibson (right), seniors at Clemson University, received distinguished scholarships related to their study of packaging.

Clemson Announces Fall 2021 Outstanding Packaging Science Senior Award Winners

From Clemson University comes news about two 2021 awards. Henry Lopez won the Robert Testin Outstanding Packaging Science Senior Award for Fall 2021, and Michaela Gibson received the Packaging World Outstanding Senior Award for Fall 2021.

Head of Curiosity, Brent Lindberg of Fuseneo

Future-Proof: Design Your Packaging with Robotic Automation in Mind

As robot usage increases, package design should take into mind ease-of-use for this technology, in all points of a product’s life cycle.

Nicky Kitchen Towel 3 Rolls Ambient

Own Brand Proves Paper-Pack Concept for Store Brands

Built on selling into retail private label, Sofidel recently launched a consumer brand of its own, Nicky, to serve as a proof of concept and market testing brand for a unique paper-pack solution for bath tissue and paper towel packs.

Mars Petcare UK's Chappie canned dog food is one of the brands that is now being sold in paperboard cartons rather than shrink film.

New Packaging from Mars Petcare UK Cuts Plastic by 15M Pieces

Keeping its comparisons aptly within the animal realm, Mars Petcare UK claims its switch from shrink film to paperboard for mixed-can pet food multipacks will eliminate 30 elephants’ worth of plastic.

Bringing ABB's robotic automation to the process of making Zume's compostable packaging is poised to bring the benefits of this sustainable packaging technology to manufacturing plants around the world.

Big Boost for Compostable Molded Pulp?

Transitioning away from single-use plastic packaging is now widely accepted as a global imperative, and that transition may have gotten a big boost thanks to a recently announced collaboration.

L’Oréal has produced a prototype cosmetics bottle that is made from a drop-in polyethylene created from the recycling of carbon emissions.

L’Oréal Pioneers Bottle Made from Industrial Emissions

The prototype HDPE package is the result of a partnership with LanzaTech and TotalEnergies that converts carbon waste from emissions from a steel mill into recycled polyethylene with the same properties as virgin plastic.

In September, Absolut Vodka was restaged on shelf with new packaging graphics, representing the biggest design refresh since 1979.

New Absolut Bottle Design Pays Tribute to Brand’s Credentials

In the biggest design refresh since 1979, Absolut Vodka’s new bottle graphics emphasize the brand’s Swedish provenance and showcase the community and culture driving the brand forward.

A Loop Drop Off Point

Packaging as a Business Asset: Loop Case Study

Loop’s prefill reuse model of sustainability has evolved since its development in 2017, and it’s growing as more retailers sign on to owning their own refillable packaging.

Reduced “Friction” & Pandemic Nudge Pave Way for Smart Packaging

Gone are the clunky apps and poor content experiences that hampered consumer engagement with Intelligent Packaging. As friction abated, the pandemic demonstrated the value of contactless communication, ushering in an Intelligent Packaging renaissance.

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DTC Creates New Challenges for Secondary Packaging

Direct-to-consumer models require more durable secondary packaging, and considerations such as security, click-and-pick, and branding, also come into play.

KFC Limited Edition Green Fiber-Based Paper Packaging

Getting Noticed: KFC Changes its Colors and Asics Delivers Shoes in Blister Pack

See four examples of sustainable and eye-catching packaging from ThePackHub’s November Packaging Innovation Briefing Report.

Recycling Symbol Bottles

2020 PET Recycling Rate Drops, While Demand for rPET Surges

Annual report shows that while the U.S. demand in 2020 for rPET was strong, the collection of PET bottles decreased by approximately 2.3% to a recycling rate of 26.6%.

Hp 107536 Surgical Tools Copy png 2

EU Regulators, Recycling, and Healthcare Plastics

Packaging suppliers speak about the openness of regulators to understand the slower nature of life science manufacturers in adopting more sustainable packaging.

Dave Greenfield

unPACKed Podcast: Emphasis on Ease of Operation at PACK EXPO Las Vegas

PMMI Media Group Editors explore tools OEMs showcased at PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO specifically to attack workforce issues.

Lipman Compostable Packs

Lipman Family Farms Expands Compostable Packaging

Lipman Family Farms expanded its compostable packaging line, furthering the company’s dedication to providing innovative, sustainable practices from farm to shelf.

More in Home

Malibu Collaborates to Collect 5M Single-Use Bottles’ Worth of Ocean Plastic

Malibu, with Plastic Bank, commits to the collection of nearly 110 tons of ocean-bound plastic in the Philippines, while helping local collector communities.

Tesco's 2021 Preferred Materials and Formats for UK Packaging

Tesco Taking the Lead on Sustainable Packaging Choices for UK Suppliers

Brands who want space in this top UK retailer’s stores need to comply with preferred packaging material and format suggestions, which are driven by material recyclability.

Compostable Skincare Packs Signal Shift in Tattoo Culture Values

Manik Skincare chooses packaging made from wood- and plant-based materials for its vegan tattoo aftercare products, targeted a new breed of nature-oriented tattoo enthusiasts.

Screen Shot 2021 11 08 At 5 59 29 Pm

Temperature-Controlled Logistics Trends to Watch

The ISTA Pharma Committee's annual Technical Exchange highlighted a shift: regulators placing focus on performance qualification data. Also discussed were industry thoughts on climate change, ambient profile development, and more.

Pet food post-consumer recycled content

Adimax in Brazil integrates a minimum of 30% of post-consumer recycled PET

By incorporating Terphane films in the manufacturing of their packaging, Adimax —one of the largest petfood manufacturers in Brazil— integrates a minimum of 30% of post-consumer recycled PET, prioritizing high-barrier properties and food safety.

Packaging World Presents: Automating Flexible Omnichannel Fulfillment

On today's Take Five with Packaging World video, omnichannel fulfillment drives ABB acquisition of ASTI Mobile Robotics Group.

Johnnie Walker Paper Bottle

Spirited Sustainable Packaging

Spirits company Diageo reports on the state of its “Spirit of Progress 2030” sustainability program, and their global ventures to increase sustainable packaging for their brands.

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Mettler Toledo Launches Metal Detector and Checkweigher at PACK EXPO Las Vegas

Equipment updates include faster rates, better accuracy and easier operation.

Klockner Pentaplast Pet Blister Film

Recycled Content Packaging Innovations

See five examples of innovative recyclable content packaging from ThePackHub’s October Packaging Innovation Briefing Report.

6 Brands Reinventing the Memphis Retro Trend

Brands are bringing back the vibrant colors, geometric shapes, and bold patterns that epitomized the Memphis Design trend of the ’80s, with their own modern twist.

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Snacking Soared in 2020: Growth to Continue at Slower Speed

Read about current snacking trends and market updates presented by SNAC International at PACK EXPO Las Vegas and in their State of the Industry report.

Instead of having to be discarded, the edible film dissolves harmlessly in water as the meal is cooked.

Meal Kit Brand Tests 'World’s First' Edible, Dissolvable Flexible Film Made from Pea Protein

Meal kit pioneer Gousto Recipe Box trialed a pea protein-based film that exhibits many of the barrier properties that plastic offers. But instead of having to be discarded, the edible film dissolves harmlessly in hot water as the meal is cooked.