Royal Avebe promotional graphic for PerfectaFILM PFAS-free plant-based barrier coatings for fibre-based food packaging
A couple opens items out of paper packaging on their couch.

Paperization scales up: How PPWR is driving flexible paper packaging innovation

According to suppliers at Interpack 2026, investment in functional barrier papers and converting compatibility has reached a tipping point as the paperization trend continues to rise. The shift is being driven by brand owners seeking Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)-compliant alternatives to multi-layer plastic laminates in the EU. Manufacturers maintain that the established European paper recycling stream offers a credible end-of-life pathway.
Man at grocery store
Beyond materials: Packaging technology as a tool against food waste
Food protection is the primary function of F&B packaging. But amid rising environmental concerns, consumers are demanding the sector design circular and safe solutions. Every component of packaging has a part to play in protecting food and reducing waste. Conversations around barriers and coatings, paper-based, monomaterial, and recycled content solutions, are at the forefront of an industry juggling two different sustainability metrics. As the global food waste bill continues to rise, it threatens the UN’s goal to halve global food waste by 2030. Research commissioned by Avery Dennison revealed that the economic cost of food waste across the global supply chain is forecast to reach US$540 billion by 2026. 
Maud Lelièvre
Cosmogen: Demand for airtight and portable packaging grows in personal care
The shift toward airtight, dose-precise, and portable options is shaping personal care packaging innovation, as brands continue to navigate a “tension” between premium packaging aesthetics and recyclability, says Maud Lelièvre, marketing and communication director at Cosmogen. Cosmogen, a France-based packaging company, designs luxury personal care packaging for the health, wellness, and beauty sector. 
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Protein packaging reinvented
Innova Market Insights data reveals that consumers find packaging very important when choosing meat & dairy product launches. Standard tray & flat pouch were the leading packaging, while cup emerged as the packaging with the fastest rise in innovation. Biobased material for protein launches had 21% growth from April 2021 to March 2026, opening the path for new packaging opportunities.
Cama Group #GoWrap packaging display featuring wrapped ready meals, snacks, and confectionery products.
Mono-material labelling technology conquers ‘overpacking’ challenge in snacks industry
Sustainability goals and changing market preferences are encouraging snack and bakery producers to rethink packaging. Cama Group offers turnkey lines and a labelling solution that replaces multipack flow-wrap overpacking with recyclable mono-material labels. The approach reduces material use, improves recycling compatibility, increases marketing flexibility and supports efficient, high-speed production.This Technical Paper is brought to you by Cama Group. 
Peter Schubert, Gerhard Schubert
Interpack 2026: Gerhard Schubert exhibits next-gen packaging machines

At Interpack 2026, Peter Schubert, head of design engineering at Gerhard Schubert, discussed the company's new generation of top-loading packaging machines and two highly standardized machine ranges designed to improve efficiency, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness.

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Sidel strengthens Chinese operations with aseptic line delivery
A group of bottles with brown liquid in them
Sidel has equipped Guangdong Baisen Food, an F&B producer in China, with its Aseptic Combi Predis. The solution passed aseptic validation and has been commissioned for production. The production line will be used for near-neutral pH beverages. The solution was delivered from the Sidel Beijing Plant to the Chinese beverage producer. Sidel Greater China highlights its strong Aseptic project and service team, calling it “the biggest cornerstone for Sidel to better serve the Chinese market.”
Finnish researchers unveil wood bark coatings as fossil-based alternative
A conveyor belt in a factory
The Coatings and Composites from Novel Biobased Dispersions project (COCOBIN), coordinated by the University of Oulu, Finland, has developed packaging coatings from suberin, a natural compound found in birch bark. COCOBIN focuses on engineering biobased coatings and composites to replace fossil-based polymeric materials. The project looked into suberin, which acts as a protective layer and prevents the loss of water in plants.
DS Smith develops fiber-based tray for fresh produce transportation
DS Smith fruit tray
DS Smith has supplied its fiber-based Closed-Type Tray for the transatlantic freight of kiwis and other fresh produce to the Greek market.The Closed-Type Tray is designed to optimize product quality and freshness for over 45 days. The solution is produced using lightweight materials that improve loading capacity.
US consumers back bans on AI grocery pricing and ESLs, poll finds
A person scanning a product on a shelf with a smartphone
The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union has released a poll from GBAO Strategies, showing bipartisan support in the US for banning surveillance pricing and electronic shelf labels (ESLs) in grocery stores.This year, US states have stepped up efforts to curb surveillance pricing. Recently, Maryland became the first state to ban the practice in grocery stores. Last month, New York’s Senate passed the Protecting Consumers and Jobs from Discriminatory Pricing Act that would prohibit surveillance pricing and ESLs statewide.
Defra to trial flexible plastic packaging collection from London apartments
Person recycled flexible plastic
The UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has chosen ReLondon to implement the FlexFlats project to improve the collection of flexible plastic packaging from communal apartment buildings in London.FlexFlats aims to help local authorities meet the requirements of the Simple Recycling legislation, which mandates the collection of flexible plastic packaging from every UK household from April 2027.
How Unilever is using AI to stay visible in a new era of food discovery
Hellmann's and Knorr products from Unilever.

Food Ingredients First

The battle for consumer attention is no longer confined to supermarket aisles or search engine results. Increasingly, it is taking place inside AI-powered search tools, voice assistants, and large language models that are shaping what consumers cook, buy, and eat. For global food manufacturers, that shift is creating a new challenge — ensuring brands are not only visible on store shelves, but also recommended by the algorithms consumers increasingly rely on for inspiration and decision-making.
Highlighted features
Cama Group #GoWrap packaging display featuring wrapped ready meals, snacks, and confectionery products.
Technical paper
Mono-material labelling technology conquers ‘overpacking’...
Sustainability goals and changing market preferences are encouraging snack and bakery producers to rethink packaging. Cama Group offers turnkey lines and a labelling solution that replaces multipack flow-wrap overpacking with recyclable mono-material labels. The approach reduces material use, improves recycling compatibility, increases marketing flexibility and supports efficient, high-speed production.This Technical Paper is brought to you by Cama Group. 
Amcor eBook banner showing a man drinking bottled water with text on caps and closures in food and beverage packaging
Technical paper
Safe, secure, convenient and clean: Caps and closures in...
This eBook explores how caps and closures shape product protection, usability and sustainability in food and beverage packaging. From sports and flat caps in beverages to sauces, condiments, oils and vinegar closures in food, it highlights design choices that improve consumer experience, support recycling and enhance brand impact.This Technical Paper is brought to you by Amcor.
Innova Top Packaging Trends 2026.
Special report
Top Packaging Trends 2026: Navigating sustainability,...
Innova Market Insights has announced its Top Packaging Trends 2026, with “Substantiated Sustainability” taking top spot. This trend emphasizes the need for verified environmental claims, driven by stricter regulations, such as the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Global consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging but are wary of greenwashing, meaning brands must back sustainability claims with scientific evidence. The second trend, “Digital-Enhanced Designs,” highlights the growing role of digital technologies like AI, augmented reality, and QR codes in packaging. These innovations improve consumer engagement and product traceability, while digital product passports offer detailed lifecycle data.

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Compostable packaging leadersJun2026

Innova Market Insights data shows that consumers are willing to justify a higher price for a product if it comes with sustainable (including compostable) packaging. 42% of these launches were in Europ...

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Food waste fighters Jun 2026

Innova Market Insights data shows that consumers are concerned about sustainability and expect brands to take these issues seriously. Packaging is becoming a key area for innovation, with brands exploring solutions that help reduce food waste by extending shelf life, improving protection, and supporting portion control.

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Protein packaging reinventedJun 2026

Innova Market Insights data reveals that consumers find packaging very important when choosing meat & dairy product launches. Standard tray & flat pouch were the leading packaging, while cup emerged as the packaging with the fastest rise in innovation. Biobased material for protein launches had 21% growth from April 2021 to March 2026, opening the path for new packaging opportunities.

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Peter Schubert, Gerhard Schubert
Video07:01
Interpack 2026: Gerhard Schubert exhibits next-gen packaging machines

At Interpack 2026, Peter Schubert, head of design engineering at Gerhard Schubert, discussed the company's new generation of top-loading packaging machines and two highly standardized machine ranges designed to improve efficiency, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness.

Kati Ekman, Stora Enso, Interpack 2026, Fiber-Based Packaging, Lightweight Packaging, Trayforma Brown, Performa Natura Aqua, Folding Box Board, Sustainable Packaging, Packaging Materials
Video03:52
Interpack 2026: Stora Enso unveils lightweight fiber-based packaging solutions
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Video03:57
Interpack 2026: PakTech boosts multipack circularity & PPWR compliance
Michelangelo Anderlini, Biopap
Video04:37
Interpack 2026: How Biopap and Futamura drive innovation in compostable food packaging
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