All Social Impact articles
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ArticleINC-5.2: Breaking point or turning point?
INC-5.2 was a failure – but is that necessarily a bad thing? Willemijn Peeters, founder of Searious Business, tells us why this breakdown might be exactly what is needed.
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ArticleINC-5.2 was a failure – what happens next?
1257 days after governments first agreed to develop an international legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, the world is still waiting.
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ArticleThe Green Divide: why sustainability leaves the Global South behind
In this article Njoki Kangethe, sustainability consultant and writer at EcoNjia, details the ‘green divide’ - a gulf between how sustainability is lived, discussed, and funded in wealthy nations versus the realities in the Global South.
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ArticlePublic consultation and call for evidence launched for Circular Economy Act
The European Commission has launched a public consultation and call for evidence for its upcoming Circular Economy Act, seeking input from stakeholders and the public to understand the opportunities and bottlenecks for a circular transition.
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ArticleGlobal Plastics Treaty calls intensify as microplastics linked to health impacts
With INC-5.2 kicking off tomorrow, WWF and the University of Birmingham underline its importance by linking micro- and nanoplastics (MnPs) to various environmental and human health impacts, ranging from disrupted food production to cancer and infertility.
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ArticleDanone sues Chobani over alleged trademark infringement in coffee packaging
Danone is filing a lawsuit against Chobani, arguing that the company has copied the slogan and packaging colours of Danone’s ready-to-drink cold brew coffee line and infringed on its trademarks.
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ArticleThe Brief: How overproduction, exports and pollution contribute to racism
Economic disparities between racial groups became a driving factor in New York State’s failure to implement EPR obligations for packaging producers; but packaging waste is already contributing to a reduced quality of life for disadvantaged communities, even beyond the American border. In this edition of the Brief, we examine the concept of environmental racism and discover how the packaging industry contributes to its impacts.
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Article20% of all waste is burned, dumped or managed illegally, survey indicates
According to an Environment Agency survey, 20% of waste is illegally managed on average, resulting in extra clean-up costs for businesses – yet only 27% of all waste crimes are ever reported.
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ArticleWhat to expect from INC-5.2 – where is the Global Plastics Treaty now?
What does the Global Plastics Treaty draft text currently look like, and what can we expect from the upcoming round of negotiations? With the help of WWF, we take stock of our current position, and where we have left to go.
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ArticleCoca-Cola and Samoan recyclers report collection of 80,000 bottles and cans
Over 80,000 used PET bottles and aluminium cans have reportedly been collected via Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Samoa and Tokelau Association of Recyclers’ collection and segregation initiative this month.
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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.
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ArticleShoppers prioritize price and convenience over sustainability, says McKinsey
Consumers in the US currently value a pack’s cost, convenience, shelf life, and other factors over its sustainability, a McKinsey survey suggests – an outcome potentially driven by economic uncertainties, lifestyle changes, and gaps in knowledge.
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ArticleHasbro faces criticism for ‘overpackaged’ Dungeons & Dragons dice box
The box for Hasbro’s Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Dice Set has kicked off a conversation about excessive packaging for small products; but the pack’s size, decoration, and interactive elements may serve a purpose in a crowded market.
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ArticleAnnouncing the finalists of Packaging Europe’s Sustainability Awards 2025!
After another year of top-tier entries across the board, the first round of judging has come to a close – now the international, expert jury of the world’s most prestigious sustainable packaging competition reveals the finalists of the Sustainability Awards 2025!
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ArticleLawsuit alleges that Aldi ‘blatantly copies’ Mondelez snack packaging
Mondelēz International has filed a lawsuit against Aldi, alleging that the packaging designs for several of its private-label products infringe trademarked visual properties and harm the reputation of several Mondelēz brands.
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ArticleSystemiq supports ‘bold action’ for fossil-free plastic production in the EU
In a new report, Systemiq encourages the European Union to clarify policies and boost market confidence to develop fossil-free plastics at scale, particularly for the green-methanol-to-olefins process.
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ArticleCan reusable period products absorb the leak of packaging waste?
Is stigma around periods fueling the rise in menstrual product packaging waste? Are we over-packaging single-use solutions? Could a transition into reusable products help, or is the answer more complicated? We answer all these questions in this edition of the Brief.
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ArticleAlliance established to tackle single-use packaging waste in Himalaya
Following the Zero Waste Himalaya Network Meet in April 2025, multiple organisations and NGOs have created the Zero Waste Himalaya Alliance to tackle the reported 80% of plastic waste from single-use food and beverage packaging in the region.
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ArticleBerry Global’s reusable cup range utilized for Glasgow returnable cup initiative
Berry Global’s range of reusable plastic cups has been selected for the Borrow Cup collaborative returnable cup initiative which was launched in Glasgow, UK, at the end of January.
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ArticleNext Global Plastics Treaty meeting will be held in Geneva, UNEP confirms
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced that the next International Negotiating Committee meeting (INC-5.2) to negotiate a Global Plastics Treaty will be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 5th – 14th August 2025.