All Sustainability articles
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ArticleBusinesses continue to use less recyclable materials under EPR, data warns
89% of obligated packaging producers continue to use non-recyclable, hard-to-recycle, or mixed-rating packaging under extended producer responsibility laws, according to data from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra).
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ArticleHow to take part in Packaging Europe’s Readers’ Award 2026
For another year, Packaging Europe is giving you the chance to decide who wins the 2026 Readers’ Award!
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ArticleCould European retailers pack fresh produce in banana leaves?
Retailers in Southeast Asia regularly go viral on social media for wrapping fresh produce in banana leaves. Could this approach serve as an effective solution in other global regions? Packaging Europe dives deeper in search of an answer.
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ArticleWhy investors are making the case to keep the PPWR on track
The question on everybody’s lips: should we reopen the PPWR? A coalition of financial investors recently said no.
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ArticleSustainability Awards Finalist Interview: Embalagem do Futuro’s R&D initiative and bio-polymer cardboard coating
Embalagem do Futuro (Packaging of the Future) is a finalist in this year’s Sustainability Awards, nominated in the Thinking Big and Research and Development categories for its collaborative R&D initiative and bio-polymer coating for food-contact corrugated cardboard. We spoke with Pedro Costa, project manager at Embalagem do Futuro, to find out more about these innovations.
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ArticleHow Swiss packaging law compares to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
Switzerland has just published its new Ordinance on Packaging. How does it compare to the European Union’s approach?
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ArticleCoca-Cola and Smurfit Westrock packaging targets World Cup spending spikes
Smurfit Westrock has helped Coca-Cola China develop various paper-based packaging solutions for its World Cup lineup, intended to stand out across multiple retail channels.
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ArticleTotalEnergies Corbion unveils sugarcane-based, lower-carbon PLA foam
Total Energies Corbion has launched Luminy FOAM 50F, a high melt strength PLA grade designed as a lower-carbon alternative to PS in extrusion foaming applications (XPS) such as food packaging.
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ArticleMondelēz chocolate wrapper now contains 75% chemically recycled content
Mondelēz International has worked alongside Amcor, LyondellBasell, and Taghleef Industries to implement 75% chemically recycled content into the flexible packaging for Marabou chocolate bars.
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ArticlePlastic on EU markets grew by 11% between 2011 and 2025, study suggests
Research from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre indicates that plastic quantities rose by 11% across select European countries between 2011 and 2025 – the only material to demonstrate an upward trend.
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ArticleDeliveroo, Pho and Sheffield Hallam University team up for Sustainable Packaging Challenge
Deliveroo, Vietnamese restaurant chain Pho and Sheffield Hallam University have joined forces for this year’s edition of Deliveroo’s Sustainable Packaging Challenge, where students can re-design Pho packaging for a chance to win £1,500 and potentially bring their design to life.
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ArticleReport urges EU to close national EPR gaps via Circular Economy Act
The upcoming Circular Economy Act must address ‘wide’ performance gaps between national packaging EPR systems across the EU, according to a study commissioned by EUROPEN and conducted by CIRCPACK by Veolia.
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ArticleSwitzerland updates packaging law with minimum recycling rates and more
The Federal Council of the Swiss Confederation has revealed a new ordinance for packaging, mandating minimum recycling rates of 55% for plastic packaging and 70% for beverage cartons.
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ArticleBio-based adhesive from BindEthics begins industrial-scale production
Adhesive company BindEthics has announced that its flagship bio-based adhesive, Ecohesive, has transitioned from laboratory development into industrial-scale production.
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ArticleIndustry urges EU Commission not to reopen Single-Use Plastics Directive
A joint statement signed by EUROPEN, Plastics Europe, European Plastics Converters (EuPC), European Plastic Films (EuPF) and AIM, the European Brands Association urges EU policymakers not to reopen the Single-Use Plastics Directive and create legal uncertainty.
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ArticleReverse vending machines for plastic water bottles piloted at Wimbledon
Danone, Exchange for Change, and the All England Lawn Tennis Club piloted reverse vending machines for evian water bottles at the Wimbledon Championship Qualifying Competition – testing their logistics ahead of the UK’s deposit return scheme rollout in 2027.
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ArticlePolytag and MCC combine UV tag technology with in-mould labelled packaging
Data capture platform Polytag has announced a partnership with Multi-Color Corporation (MCC) to incorporate its UV tag technology directly into MCC’s in-mould labelled (IML) packaging, aiming to help brands unlock consumer recycling data and support future advanced sorting capabilities for recycling.
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ArticleCoffee roaster pilots reusable plastic buckets from Jokey and circolution
Jokey and circolution are working alongside Kaffee Braun to pilot reusable polypropylene buckets for industrial applications – designed to be stacked, reused in high circulation volumes, and recycled at end-of-life.
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ArticleMars designs 67% of packaging for recycling, reuse or compost in latest report
In its latest sustainability report, Mars claims that over 67% of its consumer-facing packaging is designed to be reusable, recyclable or compostable – and reiterates industry-wide challenges with infrastructural limitations and access to food-safe recyclate.
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ArticleFunding for Wayout’s drinking water infrastructure set to tackle plastic waste
Wayout has successfully closed an oversubscribed Series A extension, set to support the deployment of its distributed drinking water infrastructure and tackle single-use plastic waste.