The first session offered insights into the upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks, and how businesses can stay ahead through reuse.

Led by Tosca’s team (Laurent Le Mercier, EMEA president; Karin Witton, global head of sustainability; and Lisa Buchholz, business development director Europe), the webinar brought together regulatory knowledge, sustainability expertise and hands-on market insight.

The paper-only packaging, designed to be more compact, will be used for Taurus UCX, Taurus TPX, Taurus TPN, OPTX and OPTN products, with this biodegradable and recyclable packaging retaining product protection, with old packaging for these product categories to be used up first to avoid unnecessary waste.

The size and shape of orders will still determine the packaging materials used, whilst shipments that contain other products within a single order will receive mixed materials.

Aligned with the Government of India’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework and the latest FSSAI regulations, UFlex’s single-pellet solution offers a seamless option for FMCG brands looking to comply with sustainability targets. Effective April 1, 2025, the new regulations require brands using Category-1 rigid plastic packaging, such as PET bottles, to incorporate a minimum of 30% recycled content by FY26.

By engineering microrganisms, the Carbon-Loop Sustainable Biomanufacturing Hub (C-Loop) aims to make the manufacturing of everyday products – more than 90 per cent of which are manufactured from fossil fuels using unsustainable chemical processes – cleaner and part of a circular economy.

Engineering biology – an area in which the University of Edinburgh is a UK and global leader - applies engineering principles to biological processes to create new materials, treatments and solutions.

In a remarkable feat for the UK’s flexible packaging industry, BakPac has achieved a record-breaking production milestone manufacturing over 1 million digitally printed stand-up pouches in just one week. This achievement places the Brentwood-based operation firmly at the forefront of high-volume, fast-turnaround pouch production in the country.

In a major milestone for its global growth strategy, healthcare packaging and medical device specialist Sanner has officially opened its first manufacturing facility in North America. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, the new 60,500-square-foot site marks a significant step forward for the company’s commitment to offering localized, high-quality, and efficient production services to its MedTech and pharmaceutical clients in the United States.

Folding carton producer KennedySmith Press has taken a significant step into digital printing by installing its first digital press, the Xeikon CX500, to complement its existing B1 litho presses.

According to company director Michiel Molenaar, a detailed productivity review revealed that smaller-format jobs being printed multi-up on B1 litho equipment were inefficient — requiring more time for make-ready than for actual printing, ultimately reducing profitability.

The team of scientists announced that the paper is so clear that juice and other drinks in cartons made from the novel material will be visible from the outside.

Derived from plants, the material is decomposable by microorganisms and is thereby expected to be a substitute for plastic containers at some point.

The see-through paper is flexible and bends easily. Its durability, even when wet, allows the material to be processed into a range of shapes, inclusive of cups and straws.

In a bold step toward transforming the home and personal care packaging landscape, Elopak and Kompak Nederland BV have officially launched a dedicated showroom for D-PAK™ a groundbreaking sustainable carton packaging solution. Located at Kompak’s facility in Etten-Leur, the Netherlands, the new space is designed to offer customers a first-hand look at how cartons can replace traditional plastic packaging for everyday products like detergents, liquid soaps, and household cleaners.