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EU producers demand greater support in Industrial Accelerator Act to boost metal sector

The European Commission (EC) has formally proposed the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) to create jobs, while increasing the production and demand for low-carbon technologies and materials made or sourced in the EU, such as metals. However, producers of metal products argue that the act should do more to support the entire metal value chain if it is to meet its goals. The IAA would introduce “targeted and proportionate” Made in EU and low-carbon requirements for public procurement and public support schemes for sectors impacting the packaging industry, including steel, aluminum, and net-zero technologies. 
Holding paper-based beverage cups.
Barrier coating innovators balance performance, recyclability & PFAS-free packaging
A major challenge in modern packaging is combining high-barrier performance with recyclability. We sit down with experts at BASF, Flint Group, and Qwarzo to discuss the trade-offs manufacturers face when protecting against moisture, oxygen, and grease, while meeting recyclability goals. We also explore how the industry can develop smart plastic substitutions that are feasible and scalable. 
Fred Jordan, CEO at AlpVision
AlpVision CEO talks global invisible cryptography authentication for packaging
AlpVision, a global authentication and counterfeiting company based in Switzerland, highlights its invisible cryptoglyph authentication, which embeds security patterns in packaging varnish. Packaging Insights speaks to Fred Jordan, CEO at AlpVision, about the cross-industry deployment of the counterfeiting solution. We also discuss what makes the system detectable via smartphones and its environmentally sustainability features. 
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Dairy packaging innovation
Dairy packaging launches are increasing at a 17% compound annual growth rate from 2021 to 2025, according to data provided by Innova Market Insights. Environmental sustainability remains a major trend, with consumers globally opting for biodegradable packaging for dairy products. Recyclable was the leading sustainable packaging claim, while reusable saw the fastest growth in launches.
Packaging Innovations 2026: Xampla CEO on scaling paperization in foodservice packs
Packaging Innovations 2026: Xampla CEO on scaling paperization in foodservice packs

Alexandra French, CEO of Xampla, discussed the company’s plant-based, plastic-free Morro coating, which enables the use of paper packaging in foodservice. We also talked about Xampla’s recent partnership with Huhtamaki.

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Packaging Innovations 2026 review: Data, design & regulations drive circularity
Packaging Innovations 2026 in Birmingham, UK, welcomed 450 exhibitors showcasing circular packaging design. As the industry adapts to the UK’s packaging EPR and DRS launch, suppliers presented solutions catering to these regulatory shifts. Highlights included recycle-ready monomaterial solutions, compostable packaging and labels, and AI-assisted recyclability data analytics.

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Smurfit Westrock acquires corrugated packaging company in Ecuador
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Smurfit Westrock has completed the acquisition of Cartomanabí, one of the main corrugated packaging companies in Ecuador. The move represents a further step in Smurfit Westrock’s plan to grow in the region and, with the paper supplied from its North American mill system, increases its regional integration. 
ALPLA and partner unveil plastic recycling initiative in Mexico
recycling facility cutting ribbon
Alpenplastik Lehner Alwin (ALPLA) has launched a recycling initiative in Mexico with circular logistics provider Vida Circular, which aims to recycle more than 200,000 plastic bottles annually. The scheme aims to move beyond awareness training toward the establishment of tangible waste management infrastructure. 
Hubergroup expands global availability of PFAS-free ink for metal packaging
A can of food
Hubergroup Print Solutions is expanding its metal decoration ink system Tinkredible MGA to global markets. The mineral oil-free, bisphenol A-free, and PFAS-free ink series is designed for monobloc and three-piece metal cans. Tinkredible MGA is said to combine “outstanding print quality, high process stability, and compliance with international food safety standards.” The solution will be showcased at Metpack 2026 in Essen, Germany, (May 5–8). 
L’Oréal and Dioxycle turn captured carbon into beauty packaging
L’Oréal make up display
L’Oréal has partnered with clean technology company Dioxycle to turn captured carbon emissions into packaging materials. Dioxycle uses carbon electrolysis to transform CO or CO2 into ethylene, the chemical building block of polyethylene (PE). Jacques Playe, senior vice president for Global Development Packaging at L’Oréal Group, says: “The conversion of carbon emissions into innovative materials unlocks unprecedented avenues for increasingly desirable, high-performing, and sustainable packaging, paving the way for a new era of environmental footprint reduction for our industry and beyond.” 
Glass deemed safest material as NGO calls for single-use alternatives
man putting glass tupper in microwave
Glass is well regarded for its safe and circular qualities, yet the material is often “punished” for its heavy weight, says Zero Waste Europe. Moreover, the environmental NGO argues that moving away from packaging that can contain harmful chemicals, like PFAS, should not only rely on replacing one material with another. Packaging Insights speaks to Dorota Napierska, toxic-free circular-economy policy officer at Zero Waste Europe, about glass as a safer alternative to single-use plastic packaging — which can often contain chemicals harmful to human health and the environment. 
Wilmar’s crushing margins defy global oilseed slump as profit rises to US$1.28B
Wilmar full-year results.

Food Ingredients First

Wilmar International, Asia’s largest agribusiness group, has posted a 10% rise in core net profit to US$1.28 billion for FY2025, driven by a sharp improvement in oilseed crushing margins that propelled its Feed & Industrial Products segment to a 62% profit jump in the second half. Full-year revenue climbed 4.5% to US$70.4 billion. The results come against a backdrop of escalating trade tariffs, geopolitical disruption across key commodity corridors, and shifting regulatory landscapes — conditions that chairman and CEO Kuok Khoon Hong describes as making 2025 “a challenging year for the group.” Palm oil production dipped during the year, though the group’s integrated model helped absorb margin pressure across its consumer-facing businesses.
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Recycled packaging
Regulatory News
EU Circular Economy Act: Packaging organizations debate...
The EU’s forthcoming Circular Economy Act (CEA) aims to promote the union’s transition to a circular packaging economy. However, packaging organizations Europen and the European Environmental Bureau (EBB) argue that the legislative initiative needs to go beyond its current scope to establish a single market and ensure environmental protection. “The Clean Industrial Deal identified circularity as a strategic priority, with the CEA designed to accelerate the transition by building on the EU Single Market and enabling the free movement of circular products and secondary materials while stimulating demand for them,” Francesca Stevens, secretary general at Europen, tells Packaging Insights. 
recycling factory
Research & Development
Action needed to safeguard UK’s plastic recycling industry,...
The UK needs to urgently safeguard its plastic packaging recycling industry or risk its collapse, warns a new report by Ecosurety and Recoup. The report highlights that recycling facilities are processing about 23% of the plastic packaging put on the UK market. The white paper, “UK plastic packaging recycling infrastructure: Recommendations for circularity,” outlines actions that could help stabilize the sector. These include strengthening material verification and demand for recycled content, as well as greater policy and targeted operational support. 
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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Beauty and care packagingMar2026

Innova Market Insights’ data shows a 3% compound annual growth rate in beauty and personal care packaging launches from 2024 to 2025. More than 20% of launches were packaged in folded cartons, while 7...

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Breakthrough barrier coatings Mar 2026

Freshness is a key factor consumers use to assess F&B packaging quality, according to Innova Market Insights. Barrier coatings on packaging help preserve freshness and flavor by protecting products from bacteria and external contaminants. New product launches indicate that brands are increasingly emphasizing this packaging benefit in their communications.

Trend analysis

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Dairy packaging innovationMar 2026

Dairy packaging launches are increasing at a 17% compound annual growth rate from 2021 to 2025, according to data provided by Innova Market Insights. Environmental sustainability remains a major trend, with consumers globally opting for biodegradable packaging for dairy products. Recyclable was the leading sustainable packaging claim, while reusable saw the fastest growth in launches.

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Packaging Innovations 2026: Xampla CEO on scaling paperization in foodservice packs
Video08:47
Packaging Innovations 2026: Xampla CEO on scaling paperization in foodservice packs

Alexandra French, CEO of Xampla, discussed the company’s plant-based, plastic-free Morro coating, which enables the use of paper packaging in foodservice. We also talked about Xampla’s recent partnership with Huhtamaki.

Packaging Innovations 2026: Ecosurety Video Thumbnail
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Packaging Innovations 2026: Ecosurety talks packaging EPR compliance 
Michael Hoer, Aptar Beauty
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Packaging Innovations 2026: Aptar Beauty presents glass and monomaterial solutions 
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Packaging Innovations 2026: Sealed Air presents machinery & software for product protection
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