All Comment articles
-
ArticleINC 5.2: Chance for industry to seize ‘historic opportunity’
With talks on a global plastics treaty resuming today, Ambrogio Miserocchi, Plastic Policy Lead and Co-Lead of the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, calls on world leaders to stay ambitious and seize a historic opportunity to deliver a robust final agreement to end plastic pollution.
-
ArticleWhy are big brands struggling with their packaging sustainability goals?
Last year, we reported on Unilever and PepsiCo revising their packaging sustainability targets downward. Neil Osment, Managing Director of packaging market research company NOA, explores the barriers that have prevented major brand owners from meeting these goals—and offers advice on how to overcome them.
-
ArticleEurope’s PET tray recycling industry fights on in face of existential challenges
Only 28% of PET tray material was collected for recycling in 2022, according to ICIS. In the face of confusion around policy, cheap rPET imports, and slowing investment, what can be done to ensure the PET industry meets its 2030 PPWR targets? Matt Tudball, Senior Editor for Recycling at ICIS, takes a closer look.
-
ArticleHow to make packaging choices with the PPWR in mind
In light of the EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, every pack must now somehow protect the product, please consumers, and meet stringent sustainability guidelines – all at the same time. Anna Perlina, sustainable packaging consultant at Integrity Solutions, has developed a five-step, data-driven flow that aims to turn this daunting task into a clear decision path.
-
ArticleWhere is the European glass industry at in 2025?
In June, Michael Giannuzzi was elected as the new President of FEVE, the industry group representing the European glass packaging industry. In a recent conversation with Giannuzzi, we discussed his ambitions for the new role – plus how he plans to confront the massive headwinds facing the glass packaging sector.
-
ArticleWhat the biggest packaging conversations really show us
In this article, LinkedIn’s biggest packaging design influencer, Lisa Cain, unpacks the themes and stories that have impressed her the most in recent months.
-
ArticleAn important update on the U.S. Plastics Pact
Last week, as part of our Bulletin coverage, we took a closer look at the potential implications of brands like Mondelēz, Mars, Nestlé, L’Oréal USA, and Walmart ending their involvement with the U.S. Plastics Pact. In this article, Jonathan Quinn, CEO at the U.S. Plastics Pact, gives us a different perspective on this news.
-
ArticleIs plastics recycling in Europe at a crisis point?
Europe’s plastics recycling sector is in turmoil. As a result of cheap virgin resin imports, falling demand, and perceived weak enforcement, the industry stands at a crossroads. In this article, Edward Kosior, CEO and Founder of Nextek Ltd, argues that failure to address these issues could lead to environmental disaster.
-
ArticleIs this the end of the US Plastics Pact?
Mondelēz, Mars, Nestlé, L’Oréal USA, and Walmart are among the big brands suspected of leaving the U.S. Plastics Pact in the past few weeks. What does this mean in practical terms? Tim Sykes, Packaging Europe’s brand director, investigates.
-
ArticleThe sustainable packaging hero’s journey
Could we use the hero’s journey framework to retell the story of sustainable packaging? And could that story help our industry make sense of the challenges we’re facing, and find motivation for the road ahead? Olga Kachook, SPC Director at GreenBlue, takes a closer look.
-
ArticleA closer look at Tetra Pak’s brand-new paper cap
In April, Tetra Pak unveiled an ‘industry-first’ paper-based cap for its carton packages, made from 87% renewable content. To learn more about this innovative solution, we spoke with Aldo Fontana, Global Product Manager at Tetra Pak.
-
ArticleThe problem with reusable packaging (and how to solve it)
Reusable packaging has a huge problem. Consumers express enthusiasm for refillable concepts, but demonstrate dramatically lower willingness to actually seek out refill stations. How can this problem be solved? In this article, Calvin Lakhan, Director of Circular Innovation Hub at York University’s Faculty of Environment and Urban Change, breaks down the findings of a fascinating new study on this issue.
-
ArticleWhat can other countries learn from the PPWR?
For all the criticisms levied at the PPWR in its current form, the UK could learn a thing or two from its ambitious and collaborative effort to get things moving.
-
ArticleThe Brief: Getting packaging design right in 2025
Packaging design has never operated in isolation, but in 2025 the pressure to get it right is sharper than ever. Sustainability targets are tightening, budgets are under scrutiny, and consumers are better informed. So, how can companies get it right? Smurfit Westrock’s Lisa Cain tells us everything we need to know.
-
ArticleA closer look at packaging sustainability in India
What does packaging sustainability look like in one of the largest and fastest-growing consumer markets on earth? India, which is set to become the third-biggest global economy by the 2030s, is currently witnessing a paradigm shift in how packaging is perceived, produced, and consumed. Rajesh Khosla, CEO of AGI Greenpac Limited, tells us more.
-
ArticleFlexible packaging and the shift towards plastic substitution
With the plastic substitution movement firmly underway, how far has the industry travelled towards replacing flexible plastic packaging with alternative materials? And what role, if any, does paper play? Neil Osment, Managing Director of packaging market research company NOA, investigates.
-
ArticleHow to build a packaging business with growth potential
The PPWR is clearly presenting EU packaging businesses with plenty of challenges – but why don’t we talk more about the potential upsides? In this article, Anna Perlina, sustainable packaging consultant at Integrity Solutions, explains how new EU regulations can be used to grow your packaging business.
-
ArticleWhy are some brands focusing on cost over circularity?
In a recent article, Matt Tudball, Senior Editor for Recycling at ICIS, notes that in the absence of penalties for non-compliance, many small and medium-sized brands across Europe continue to favour virgin PET.
-
ArticleNavigating the future of packaging: Trends, challenges, and opportunities
The packaging industry stands at the forefront of a transformative shift, driven by a convergence of trends that are reshaping its landscape. As organizations strive to optimize costs, comply with evolving legislation, and meet sustainability commitments, these trends present both challenges and opportunities. John Blake, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner, tells us more about how the changes can be understood and navigated in order to maintain competitiveness and achieve long-term success.
-
ArticleEurope’s Single Use Plastics Directive: What do we know so far?
In this insight article, Matt Tudball, Helen McGeough, Valentina Di Micco and Carolina Perujo Holland of ICIS share what they know regarding the SUPD and its implementation, address areas of uncertainty, and explain the impacts the SUPD has already had on the market.