Packaging Innovations 2025: UK Foodservice Packaging Association executive makes “misleading” claims warning

Ahead of Packaging Innovations next week, Martin Kersh, executive director at the UK-based Foodservice Packaging Association (FPA), tells us that he expects to see “misleading” packaging claims at the event and products that fail to comply with UK regulation.

Kersh also highlights “paperization” and lightweighting as the show’s most compelling trends.

The FPA is one of the trade organizations that will attend the Packaging Innovations & Empack 2025 trade show in Birmingham, UK, February 12–13. 

“I expect to see a continuing promotion of false and misleading claims by non-FPA members, especially from overseas businesses who ignore UK packaging regulations,” Kersh tells Packaging Insights.

“The organizations attending the event should be diligent in checking all exhibitors are making claims and exhibiting packaging that is legal in the UK.”

At the trade show, the FPA will offer free, open-to-all one-on-one sessions with Dr. Alan Campbell of The LCA Centre (The Packaging Life Cycle Assessment) — a packaging analysis center using forensic instrumentation “to identify the material composition of packaging, proving claims made for packaging.”

“Paperization” proliferates

Kersh discusses the key trends he expects to dominate the trade show.

Kersh expects to see a “paperization” trend at the trade show.He foresees an increase in “paperization,” which he defines as the movement away from plastic and toward paper solutions.

“There will be some degree of lightweighting to reduce EPR fees, though paperization means using board instead of plastic, which can increase weight.”

Kersh predicts “the reduction of non-fiber elements as a percentage of composite fiber packaging” and “an increase in plant-based materials.” According to the FPA’s executive director, “an increase in so-called ‘plastic-free’ solutions, which mostly can be tested to prove they aren’t entirely plastic-free,” is also likely. 

He expects to see “greater inventiveness in recognizing customer problems, such as eliminating spillages in transportation.”

Challenges and opportunities

Kersh identifies packaging challenges and opportunities he expects to spot at the trade show.

“Many non-UK based exhibitors will be making claims that can’t be substantiated or are in breach of UK regulations,” he asserts.

Another challenge Kersh predicts are “dispersal coatings that are claimed to be plastic-free when they contain plastic.”

He adds that some producers may consider the increasingly relevant reuse and refill concepts as a threat to their single-use packaging models. 

Kersh further expects opportunities for meal delivery packaging and a greater focus on foodservice packaging, “as more packaging producers are seeking to enter the foodservice packaging sector.”

“Visitors will be able to see first hand that FPA member exhibitors make claims that are substantiated and honest in line with the FPA code of practice,” he adds.