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Pack Expo 2026: EU and Canada move faster than US on GS1 Sunrise 2027

The GS1 Sunrise 2027 transition from traditional 1D codes to new 2D codes, like QR and GS1 DataMatrix, is set to come into global fruition next year. However, according to packaging industry experts at Pack Expo International 2026 in Chicago, US, the changeover is taking place faster in the EU and Canada than in the US, where industry interest remains low. According to GS1, the transition can bring about supply chain improvements such as traceability for product protection and corporate responsibility at end of life, and provide brands with new consumer engagement opportunities. 
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E-commerce packaging balances compliance, cost & consumer experience
E-commerce packaging is no longer a post-production afterthought, flag industry players. It has evolved into a field requiring alignment across chemistry, material engineering, reverse logistics, regulatory compliance, and digital infrastructure. Packaging Insights speaks to Aicomp, Henkel, Re-Zip, and Turn Green about how the e-commerce packaging industry is exploring the intersection of process integration, sensory branding, economics, and total system compliance. 
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FSSC warns packaging reduction can drive food waste if protection fails
Material reduction innovations are growing across the F&B industry as regulations and sustainability targets attempt to reduce packaging waste. However, Antoinette Maake, technical officer at Foundation FSSC, warns that only when essential food-protection and usability functions remain “fully effective,” can material reduction contribute to environmental benefits.  Foundation FSSC is the Foundation for Food Safety Certification, an independent NGO based in the Netherlands that manages the FSSC 22000 food safety certification scheme. 
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Next-gen packaging reshapes bakery aisle
Innova Market Insights data indicates that bakery packaging launches grew at a CAGR of 4% from July 2021 to June 2026. Flat pouches were the leading format, with plastic remaining the top packaging material and carton gaining momentum. Recyclable was the leading sustainability claim, while responsible source claims continued to gain ground.
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Circular by design: unlocking sustainable packaging solutions
Meeting the global challenge of plastic waste and building a low-carbon and circular economy requires innovation, investment and collaboration. Read the LyondellBasell (LYB) white paper to explore how smart packaging design can help optimize packaging performance, reduce material complexity, improve recyclability and support circularity goals.This Technical Paper is brought to you by LyondellBasell.
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Pack Expo 2026 live: LyondellBasell talks packaging trends & EPRs across US states

Al Pizzuti, industry marketing manager at LyondellBasell Industries, outlines the packaging trends dominating Pack Expo 2026 and examines how geopolitical developments and the approaching US midterm elections are influencing industry priorities and market dynamics.

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Aliplast opens €48.8M rigid plastics recycling plant in Italy
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Aliplast, a Hera Group subsidy, has inaugurated a €48.8 million (US$55 million) rigid plastic recycling facility in Modena, Italy, to meet growing demand for recycled plastics under new EU regulations, such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.   According to Hera Group, the R3GID facility can process up to 30,000 metric tons of recycled polymers annually. It processes rigid plastic waste from cosmetics, home and personal care, and consumer electronics packaging. 
Ilip broadens fresh food packaging portfolio with integrated absorption
Fresh products in packaging
Ilip, an ILPA Group company specializing in food packaging, will showcase its tray bottom with integrated mechanical absorption, alongside new formats designed to meet the different packaging requirements of fresh food, at Cibus Tec 2026 (Oct 27–30), Parma, Italy. Ilip is presenting its HeatSealingMaster and StretchMaster ranges, alongside the SliceMaster line, for meat, sliced products, fish, cheese, and fresh pasta applications.
Pack Expo 2026 live: Siemens showcases AI-powered digital twin for flexible...
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Siemens is presenting its digital twin robotic solution, made in collaboration with PepsiCo and Nvidia, that uses AI to improve the speed and efficiency of packaging and bottling lines, at the ongoing Pack Expo International 2026 exhibition in Chicago, US (Oct 18–21).  The partnership combines Siemens’ digital twin and industrial AI technologies with Nvidia’s AI and visualization capabilities to create high-fidelity virtual models of PepsiCo’s manufacturing and warehouse operations. 
Sealed Air, Coveris & Dole rethink food packaging to cut waste and carbon
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Global supply chains are seeking to reduce waste and carbon emissions as regulations aim to tackle rising GHG emissions. Increasingly, the packaging industry is combining developments in material science with smarter logistics to improve how food is protected, preserved, and transported. Packaging Insights speaks to Sealed Air, Coveris, and Dole about how innovative materials, optimized engineering, and circular supply chain strategies are transforming food preservation without compromising product quality or sustainability goals. 
Siegwerk patents deinking primer for flexible packaging recycling
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Siegwerk has secured a European patent for primer technology that enables printing inks that are not de-inkable in commercial processes to be removed from plastic substrates during recycling. It is said to be able to apply to complex printed flexible packaging structures.The company says the new European patent complements its US Patent US12291051B2. The patented technology covers solvent-based and water-based deinking primer technologies, while Siegwerk’s broader deinking portfolio incorporates solutions for UV printing applications. 
Protein beyond grams: Leaft, Lallemand and Arla tackle quality, taste and...
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Food Ingredients First

Protein enrichment can alter a drink’s consistency, a dessert’s texture, or the flavor of a familiar snack. For formulators, choosing an ingredient means assessing its nutritional contribution and how it behaves in the finished food. Food Ingredients First speaks to Leaft Foods, Lallemand Bio-Ingredients, and Arla Foods Ingredients about balancing nutritional quality with application performance as protein reaches more consumers and eating occasions. 
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Packaging & Technology News
Pack Expo 2026 live: Waites sensors tackle downtime and...
Waites Sensor Technologies, a global predictive maintenance company, has launched its established condition monitoring system featuring wireless sensors, machine learning, and analyst services for conveyor systems at Pack Expo International 2026 in Chicago, US (Oct 18–21). Waites Conveyance aims to help fulfillment centers, retail distribution networks, 3PL providers, parcel, and sortation facilities, as well as other conveyor-intensive operations, like those in the packaging industry, with distribution, fulfillment, and logistics operations to reduce unplanned downtime. 
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Packaging & Technology News
Pack Expo 2026 live: Tetra Pak, SIG & TNA on innovating for...
At Pack Expo International 2026 in Chicago, US (Oct 18–21), packaging companies highlight convenience and portability as key drivers of snack packaging innovation in North America.  Busy lifestyles and growing interest in portion control are prompting companies to develop smaller formats designed for on-the-go consumption, experts from SIG, Tetra Pak, and TNA tell Packaging Insights at the show. 
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Packaging & Technology News
Pack Expo 2026 preview: Exhibitors target efficiency,...
Packaging companies are exploring ways to improve production efficiency, reduce material use, adapt to new software requirements, and get more from existing equipment and resources at the upcoming Pack Expo 2026 trade show in Chicago, US (Oct 18–21). The event will feature more than 2,700 suppliers across packaging and processing. The event organizers say that no other event on the continent “brings together as many suppliers, solutions, and packaging experts across factory management, engineering, operations, and purchasing.” 

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Trends in AI use for packaging manufacturingOct2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that more manufacturers are launching products in new packaging formats. The growing number of formats, materials, and sustainability requirements is creating mor...

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Bioplastics expand across packaging formats Oct 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that 30% of consumers globally have chosen biodegradable packaging to be more sustainable in the past year. In response, bioplastics are appearing across diverse packaging formats, from compostable coffee and tea capsules to pouches, trays, cartons, and bottle wrappers, with innovation focusing on renewable materials, compostability, and end-of-life solutions.

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Next-gen packaging reshapes bakery aisleOct 2026

Innova Market Insights data indicates that bakery packaging launches grew at a CAGR of 4% from July 2021 to June 2026. Flat pouches were the leading format, with plastic remaining the top packaging material and carton gaining momentum. Recyclable was the leading sustainability claim, while responsible source claims continued to gain ground.

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Video11:07
Pack Expo 2026: Syntegon CEO on packaging machinery trends

Torsten Türling, CEO of Syntegon, discusses how AI, labor shortages, and rising costs are shaping packaging machinery, highlighting flexible equipment, and the potential for more autonomous factories.

Pack Expo 2026 LyondellBasell Industries video thumbnail: Smiling businessman in a circular portrait overlaid on a busy convention center with attendees walking and riding escalators
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Pack Expo 2026 live: LyondellBasell talks packaging trends & EPRs across US states
Brandon Rogers, PakTech
Video05:22
Pack Expo 2026 live: PakTech CEO on supply chains and club-store packaging
Leswin Canales, BPA
Video06:49
Pack Expo 2026 live: BPA highlights automated case packing
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