Plastic Packaging

The result of four years of R&D, the new packaging format marks the beginning of Upfield’s transition to a paper solution across its portfolio, delivering on its ambition to reduce plastic content by 80% by 2030.

Developed in collaboration with Footprint, MCC and Pagès Group, Upfield aims to replace up to two billion plastic tubs by 2030, saving over 25,000 tons of plastic waste per year.

SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, has partnered with three specialists in the field of in-mold labeling (IML) to demonstrate the use of certified renewable polypropylene (PP) resins in high quality mono-PP thin-wall container packaging without compromising quality, processability, safety or convenience. The single-step IML technology achieves a seamless part decoration right in the injection mold, where the label becomes an integral component of the packaging itself.

Shipping disruptions in the Red Sea have significantly affected supply chains, leading to price increases for European flexible packaging materials in the first quarter of 2024.

In the initial quarter of 2024, prices for nearly all types of flexible packaging materials experienced slight increases compared to the end of 2023, primarily due to disruptions in resin and film supply caused by security issues in Red Sea shipping. Demand across all material markets remained stable.

Ranpak Holdings Corp. a global leader in sustainable packaging, today announced the North American launch of climaliner Plus™ temperature protective paper liners for cold chain shipping, and naturemailer™ eco-friendly padded mailers. Both products are paper-based and 100% curbside recyclable, demonstrating Ranpak’s commitment to global sustainability every day – including Earth Day.

Dow and The Procter & Gamble Company have unveiled a joint development agreement (JDA) aimed at pioneering a novel recycling technology. The objective is to facilitate the efficient conversion of challenging-to-recycle plastic packaging into recycled polyethylene of nearly virgin quality, with a minimized greenhouse gas emissions footprint.

Pregis LLC, a Chicago-based developer of protective packaging, has unveiled a foam packaging product supported by certified-circular polyethylene (PE) resins through a collaboration with Irving, Texas-based ExxonMobil Corp.

Klöckner Pentaplast (kp) launched the first food packaging trays comprising 100% recycled PET (rPET) deriving exclusively from trays.

Until now, food packaging trays have been manufactured using ever-increasing proportions of recovered PET material; however, the newly launched kp tray is the first to be composed entirely of recycled tray material, said the company. This milestone is the result of the kp’s Tray2Tray initiative, which aims to rewrite the PET recycling rules.