Coveris banner promoting Packaging Innovations 2026, featuring recyclable packaging products and event details for 11–12 February at NEC Birmingham, Stand J114.
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Oregon’s EPR law temporarily blocked after industry pushback

The National Association of Wholesaler Distributors (NAW) has secured a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of Oregon’s EPR law after arguing that it imposes burdensome fees and taxes on distributors. NAW is a trade association that represents companies that distribute products across various sectors, including food and industrial supplies. 
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AI robotics and vision systems boost flexibility and efficiency in food packaging
AI-powered robotics is reshaping food packaging processes and setting the stage for smarter, more adaptable automation solutions. The innovations in the sector are increasing flexibility, reducing labor costs, and boosting production efficiency. Packaging Insights speaks to Oxipital AI and Chef Robotics to explore how smart solutions are overcoming challenges once considered too complex for the packaging industry to automate.
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Australia’s plastic recycling sector at “tipping point,” industry calls for reforms
A recent letter from the Australian recycling and packaging industry insists the current government “urgently” introduces packaging reforms or “risks the collapse” of Australia’s plastic recycling sector. The Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) and the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) have called on the government to protect the country’s recycling industry following a commissioned report by Rennie Advisory. 
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Packaging Insights’ sweet spot: Confectionery picks
Confectionery launches showed a 2% year-over-year growth between October 2023 and September 2025, according to Innova Market Insights data. Nearly half of the launches occurred in flat pouches, and more than half were packaged in plastic. Meanwhile, launches featuring carbon labeling claims gained ground.
Wendy Lam, EzyGreenPak 
Packaging Innovations 2026: EzyGreenPak showcases water-soluble, plant-based material

Wendy Lam, the founder of EzyGreenPak, presented the water-soluble, non-woven, and plant-based fabric for packaging and bagging. Lam discussed the growing interest in bio-based packaging among consumers in East Asia and the company’s expansion to Europe.

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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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European Bioplastics pushes for NIR tech in biodegradable plastic recycling
Recycling bioplastics
European Bioplastics stresses the need to recycle biodegradable plastics to strengthen circularity. In a position paper, the organization outlines how recycling can serve as an important end-of-life pathway for bioplastics when supported by near-infrared (NIR) sorting technology. If not composted or used for marine applications, biodegradables can be collected in plastic collection streams, sorted, and materially recycled without adversely affecting the recycling of other plastic streams.
Spanish city launches campaign to boost glass recycling in Horeca sector
Alicante glass recycling
The Alicante City Council, Spain, has accelerated efforts to boost glass recycling among local Horeca establishments. The city has partnered with Ecovidrio, the Spanish EPR glass management organization, to drive the initiative forward. The campaign aims to support close to 2,000 Horeca businesses with on-site visits and special collection containers. 
CCL Label introduces digital ID platform for whisky cask traceability
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CCL Label has introduced SmartCask (by Checkpoint), a next-generation identification and data platform designed to make whisky cask management more secure and transparent. Checkpoint Systems is a division of CCL industries, providing technologies for retail merchandizing, loss prevention, and inventory management, with a specialization in RFID and RF solutions. SmartCask integrates “robust, long-life” data chips onto individual casks, offering a digital identity that is said to endure for decades. Under standard storage conditions, the technology is engineered to last up to 30 years. 
Canadian institution develops biodegradable plastics for cleaning products
A close-up of a couple of blue liquid bottles
Saskatchewan Polytechnic and EnviroWay Detergent Manufacturing are turning fiber waste from flax and hemp crops into biodegradable, bottle-grade plastics for cleaning products. The Canadian researchers aim to turn local agricultural materials into commercial‑ready packaging that can be applied to sanitizers, pet care, and home cleaning products.The research project has received US$250,000 in funding from the Agriculture Development Fund through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, and US$7,000 from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program.
Europe hits record aluminum can recycling rate, industry urges scrap export ban
Person recycles can
The overall recycling rate for aluminum beverage cans in the EU, UK, Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland reached a record high of 76.3% in 2023, according to a new report by European Aluminium and Metal Packaging Europe. “The increase was primarily driven by the continued rollout and strong performance of well-designed DRSs,” Andy Doran, director of packaging group at European Aluminium, tells Packaging Insights. 
Expo West 2026: Ingredient suppliers navigate reformulation, supply chain &...
NPEW 2026.

Food Ingredients First

Natural Products Expo West returns to Anaheim, California, US, next week (March 3–6) for its 45th edition, with ingredient suppliers arriving amid converging political and economic pressures that are reshaping product development across the natural and organic F&B segments. The show brings together more than 3,300 exhibitors and 60,000 professional buyers from major retailers like Whole Foods Market, Costco, Kroger, and Amazon, to major producers and suppliers like ADM and Tradin Organic, as well as start-ups and new enterprises.  
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Packaging & Technology News
Metsä Board opens AI-powered packaging design studio in...
Metsä Board is set to open a new Packaging Design Studio in Milan, Italy, in mid-2026, aiming to strengthen collaboration with European brands, converters, and packaging developers. The studio will be equipped with tools and AI support technology to aid workshops and co-creation in projects where sustainability targets, performance requirements, or regulatory changes “drive the need for new solutions.” 
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Packaging & Technology News
Amcor survey reveals EU shoppers support recycled plastic...
Amcor has unveiled a consumer insight report exploring how EU shoppers perceive the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) content in packaging for supermarket products. The report, titled “Recycled Content, Real Impact”, collected responses from 3,201 consumers and 32 qualitative interviews across six European countries. 
Packaging Innovations 2026
Regulatory News
Packaging Innovations 2026 review: Foodservice industry...
The UK’s packaging EPR (pEPR) was a major topic of discussion among foodservice packaging providers exhibiting at this year’s Packaging Innovations in Birmingham, UK. We spoke to Ecosurety, the country’s pEPR compliance scheme, the UK Foodservice Packaging Association (FPA), and packaging providers Coveris and Xampla, to explore how the industry is responding and what factors are causing confusion. 

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Fresh produce packs reinventedFeb2026

Innova Market Insights data reveals that consumers increasingly prioritize packaging that preserves freshness when cooking at home. This preference drives brands to innovate in fresh fruit and vegetab...

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Valentine’s Day food packaging Feb 2026

According to Innova Market Insights data, food product packaging launches for Valentine’s Day recorded a 14% CAGR between October 2020 and September 2025. Confectionery accounted for more than two-thirds of these launches. Nearly half were packed in folded boxes, and 71% in plastic.

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Packaging Insights’ sweet spot: Confectionery picksFeb 2026

Confectionery launches showed a 2% year-over-year growth between October 2023 and September 2025, according to Innova Market Insights data. Nearly half of the launches occurred in flat pouches, and more than half were packaged in plastic. Meanwhile, launches featuring carbon labeling claims gained ground.

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Wendy Lam, EzyGreenPak 
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Packaging Innovations 2026: EzyGreenPak showcases water-soluble, plant-based material

Wendy Lam, the founder of EzyGreenPak, presented the water-soluble, non-woven, and plant-based fabric for packaging and bagging. Lam discussed the growing interest in bio-based packaging among consumers in East Asia and the company’s expansion to Europe.

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Packaging Innovations 2026: Metpack VP talks compostables for US & EU markets
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Packaging Innovations 2026: Sun Chemical packaging director on latest printing tech
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Packaging Innovations 2026: Mondi showcases recyclable packaging
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