All articles by Frances Butler
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ArticleHow can packaging help to solve a food availability crisis?
Poverty, economic inequality and water contamination can lead to the inability to produce sufficient amounts of food to sustain a population. According to projections from the United Nations, the world’s population could reach well over nine billion people by 2050, who will all need to be fed. How can packaging help solve this crisis?
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ArticleReuse and refill: focus on cosmetics
Since the European Commission announced revisions to the Packaging and Packaging Waste directive and WWF published a position paper including a framework for reuse systems, how has the cosmetics and personal care sector reacted? Journalist Frances Butler takes a look into the developments in this area.
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ArticleExploring the role of packaging in beverage brands’ net zero strategies
With the European Union aiming to be climate-neutral by 2050, companies’ net zero strategies are more important than ever. Frances Butler takes a closer look at how beverage brand owners PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are tackling their emissions, what role packaging plays in their net zero strategies, and ...
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ArticleConsumer Protection: How could utilising technology help brands protect consumers?
Consumer protection in packaging can range from the physical packaging to the technology used in labelling, affecting consumers of industries including pharmaceuticals, food and beverages. At the start of 2022, Markem-Imaje highlighted the challenges of counterfeiting, particularly around the holiday period. The article pointed out the ...
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ArticleLooking to the future: AI in production and logistics
Advances in AI (Artificial Intelligence) have made headlines and sparked both excitement and concern - but what are its roles and applications in the packaging industry? Frances Butler reports.
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ArticleA close-up look at digital print
Following his presentation at Sealed Air’s PACK DIGITAL event in Milan earlier this year, we asked Abel Sanchez-Hermosilla Martinez, Head of Brands and Sustainability Innovation EMEA at HP, about the potential of personalisation to create value for consumers and the capacity of digital printing to reduce packaging waste in the supply chain.
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ArticleExploring digital tools for packaging
After his presentation at Sealed Air’s PACK DIGITAL event in March this year, we spoke to Adobe’s Principal Cloud Consultant Matteo Oriani about the ways Adobe’s Experience Cloud and other digital solutions can be used to facilitate packaging design and create personalised experiences.
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ArticleAutomated cutting at an industrial level
On the 19th-20th April modular cutting systems provider Zünd held a press event in Altstätten, Switzerland for the launch of its new Q-Line cutter with BHS180 board handling system, created to address “a customer base that needs a productive and highly automated machine on an industrial level” according to Oliver Zünd, who opened the event. Frances Butler reports.
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ArticleFocus on Australian food and drink imports
Earlier this year, Austrade and the Australian High Commission held a VIP Food and Drink Event at Australia House in London, showcasing Australian food and drink products ahead of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement coming into force on the 31st of May.
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ArticleUtilising the digital elements of packaging: Sealed Air’s PACK DIGITAL event
On the 15th-16th March Sealed Air held its PACK DIGITAL event in Milan ahead of the launch of its prismiq brand, a portfolio of solutions for design services, digital printing and connected packaging. Frances Butler reports.
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ArticleWhat are the sustainability benefits, challenges and limitations of metal packaging?
Trivium Packaging produces and supplies metal packaging for industries including food, beverages, pet and home care. We spoke to Jenny Wassenaar, chief sustainability officer and senior vice president of global research and development about the sustainability benefits and limitations of metal packaging, the company’s 2030 targets and its product range.
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ArticleKeiryo Packaging’s plastic processing technology: using molecular ordering to improve material functionality
Keiryo Packaging technology for plastic processing integrates molecular ordering into the polymer melt, triggering “flow-enhanced morphological changes” in the polymer mass with the aim of enhancing material functionality. The company says that this ‘KP Technology’ is applicable across various conversion technologies and for both amorphous and semi-crystalline polymers used in finished plastic articles.
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ArticleIndustry responds to European Parliament’s proposed plastic waste export ban to non-OECD countries
Industry groups and NGOs have responded to the European Parliament’s vote in favour of stricter control measures for waste shipments and a ban on exporting plastic waste to non-OECD countries.
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ArticleWine in a can: the Australian perspective
Following our interview with Austrade last month where we discussed packaging innovation in Australia, we asked Ian Batt, winemaker and founder of Australia’s Small Things Wine (which produces wine in a can) about recyclability, the manufacturing process and sustainability goals.
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ArticleWRAP’s perspective on sustainable solutions, collaboration and reshaping packaging systems
Packaging Europe attended Coca-Cola Great Britain’s Real Talk event in London in early December, which focused on reduce, reuse and recycle in packaging. At the event we spoke to Catherine David, director of collaboration and change at WRAP, to gain her insights on sustainability challenges and solutions.
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ArticleWhat’s next for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners in terms of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’?
Packaging Europe attended Coca-Cola Great Britain’s Real Talk Event in London in early December, which focused on reduce, reuse and recycle in packaging. At the event, we spoke to Sam Jones, head of climate and sustainability in Great Britain at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) about consumer behaviour, the company’s aims towards the 3 Rs and future plans.
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ArticleCoca-Cola Great Britain’s Real Talk Event 2022: what does the future of packaging look like?
Focused on the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle, Coca-Cola Great Britain’s Real Talk event took place at the company’s London office on the 1st December. Tony Juniper CBE moderated two panels with representatives from organisations including CCEP, McDonalds, WWF and WRAP. Frances Butler reports.
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ArticleHow automation and artificial intelligence could impact the packaging industry
AMP Robotics uses automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to sort materials within waste streams. We asked CEO Matanya Horowitz how this works, how data can be utilised and the ways automated sorting could impact the packaging industry.
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ArticleAustrade’s view on the UK and Australia’s free trade agreement and the future of Australian packaging
Following the signing of the free trade agreement between Australia and the UK at the end of last year, we spoke to Ana Nishnianidze, Austrade’s Trade Commissioner for the UK and Ireland, about packaging trends in Australia, sustainability efforts (including the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation) and the potential effects of the agreement on the industry.
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ArticleBioeconomy 2.0: Creating a bio-based, resilient future
Bioeconomy 2.0 refers to the research and development of the next generation of bio-based solutions aimed towards renewable, reusable, recyclable and sustainable production. We asked Ali Harlin, research professor at Finland’s VTT research centre about the potential benefits of bio-based materials for the packaging industry, the impact of current solutions and some of the main challenges in this field.